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Acknowledgments Complete Curriculum’s K-12 curriculumKDV been team-developed by a consortium of teachers, administrators, educational and subject matter specialists, graphic artists and editors. In a collaborative environment, each professional participant contributed to ensuring the quality, integrity and effectiveness of each Compete Curriculum resource was commensurate with the required educational benchmarks and contemporary standards Complete Curriculum had set forth at the onset of this publishing program.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 1 Introduction to Reading Objective: The student will be introduced to reading strategies necessary to read for understanding. Lesson 2 Successful Note-Taking: Part 1 Objective: The student will learn how to take effective notes while reading. Lesson 3 Successful Note-Taking: Part 2 Objective: The student will increase reading efficiency through note taking. Lesson 4 The Elements of Fiction: Part 1 The Happy Family by Hans Christian Anderson Objective: The student will be introduced to the different elements of fiction and will be able to distinguish each element. Lesson 5 The Elements of Fiction: Part 2 The Traveling Companion by Hans Christian Anderson Objective: The student will be able to understand characters, as an element of fiction. Lesson 6 The Elements of Fiction: Part 3 Objective: The student will be able to identify and understand setting as an element of fiction. Lesson 7 The Elements of Fiction: Part 4 The Last Dream of the Old Oak by Hans Christian Anderson Objective: The student will be able to understand and identify the theme of a story as an element of fiction. Lesson 8 Identifying the Elements of Fiction Little Red Riding Hood (Little Red Cap) by Brothers Grimm Objective: The student will be able to apply his understanding of elements of fiction to a short story. Lesson 9 Point of View: Part 1 An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce Objective: The student will be able to identify the narrator's point of view in a short story. Lesson 10 Point of View: Part 2 Objective: The student will be able to identify the narrator's point of view in a short story.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 11 Point of View: Part 3 Objective: The student will be able to identify the narrator's point of view in a short story. Lesson 12 Point of View: Part 4 Objective: The student will be able to identify the narrator's point of view in a short story. Lesson 13 Literary Devices Objective: The student will be able to identify literary devices as they are used in short stories. Lesson 14 Literary Devices Review Objective: The student will review the literary terms and devices utilized in Ambrose Bierce's An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge. Lesson 15 Meeting Characters The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will be introduced to Francis Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden. The student will be able to compare and contrast elements of two different geographical regions. Lesson 16 Investigating Setting The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will begin investigating the settings of a novel. The student will learn new information about the geographies and cultures of England and India. Lesson 17 Characterization The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will be able to describe personality characteristics of a character as she continues reading The Secret Garden. Lesson 18 The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will be continue to read The Secret Garden. They will consider imagery as an important component of the story. Lesson 19 The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will continue to read and understand The Secret Garden, and will continue to investigate this novel through prediction of what will happen next.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 20 Studying Characters: Compare and Contrast The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will practice gauging the meaning of vocabulary words from the context of the reading assignment. Lesson 21 Figurative Language The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will be introduced to figurative language as it is used in the novel. Lesson 22 Imagery The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will be able to identify imagery as it is used in the novel. The student will also be able to compare and contrast several characters from the novel. Lesson 23 Character Development The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will gain awareness of how a character changes or develops throughout the course of a story. Lesson 24 Figurative Language Review The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will be able to understand figurative language as it is used in the novel. Lesson 25 Symbolism The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will be able to understand symbolism as it is used in the novel. Lesson 26 More Figurative Language The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will be introduced to more types of figurative language as it is used in fiction. Lesson 27 Understanding the Author’s Theme The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will be able to understand what is meant by the theme of a story by reflecting on how the author illustrates the concept of "magic" in portions of The Secret Garden.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 28 Secrets The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will learn to write an acrostic poem as well as define and use key terms from The Secret Garden in complete sentences that demonstrate understanding of the vocabulary. Lesson 29 Studying a Character The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will complete her critical reading of the novel The Secret Garden. The student will be able to write about changes that occurred in Mary during the course of the novel. Lesson 30 The Secret Garden Movie Objective: The student will watch the film version of the novel The Secret Garden and compare and contrast it to the book he has completed reading. Lesson 31 (Continuation of Lesson 30) The Secret Garden Movie Objective: The student will be able to experience a cinematic representation of the novel The Secret Garden and compare and contrast it to the book they have completed reading. Lesson 32 The Secret Garden Assessment Objective: The student will be able to summarize, retell, and compare and contrast ideas in the text of The Secret Garden. Lesson 33 Compare and Contrast Objective: The student will understand the meaning and purpose of comparing and contrasting two elements. Lesson 34 Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay Objective: The student will learn how to construct a Compare and Contrast Essay. Lesson 35 Using a Venn Diagram for Organization Objective: The student will use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two characters from the novel The Secret Garden. Lesson 36 Comparing and Contrasting Two Characters from The Secret Garden Objective: The student will be able to use the writing process effectively to construct an essay comparing and contrasting two characters from the novel The Secret Garden. Lesson 37 Formally Preparing a Compare and Contrast Essay Objective: The student will formally prepare and type the Compare and Contrast essay written in the previous Lesson.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 38 Revising and Editing Objective: The student will be introduced to the per editing process for evaluating writing. Lesson 39 Peer Editing Practice Objective: The student will practice the steps in the peer editing process. Lesson 40 Peer Evaluation and Editing Objective: The student will be able to evaluate, edit, and self-edit formally prepared written works. Lesson 41 Grammar—Part I: The Parts of a Sentence Objective: The student will be introduced to grammar and the parts of a sentence as the first of several aspects of grammar that will be emphasized throughout this course. Lesson 42 Simple Subjects Objective: The student will be able to identify and use simple subjects in writing. Lesson 43 Simple Predicates Objective: The student will be able to identify and use simple predicates in writing. Lesson 44 Verb Phrases Objective: The student will be able to identify and use verb phrases in writing. Lesson 45 Compound Sentence Parts Objective: The student will be able to identify and use compound subjects and verbs in writing. Lesson 46 Types of Sentences Objective: The student will be able to identify and use the various types of sentences in writing. Lesson 47 Subject Complements Objective: The student will be able to identify and use subject complements in writing. Lesson 48 Direct and Indirect Objects Objective: The student will be able to review and use the objects in writing, both direct and indirect.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 49 Fragments and Run-ons Objective: The student will be able to identify fragments and run-on sentences, and learn how to correct these common sentence mistakes in writing. Lesson 50 Sentences Assessment Objective: The student will be able to apply knowledge and understanding of the parts and kinds of sentences. Lesson 51 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 52 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 53 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 54 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 55 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 56 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 57 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 58 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 59 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 60 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 61 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 62 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 63 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells—Epilogue Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student's reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Lesson 64 Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning Chapters Seven - Twelve Quiz Assign the Chapters Seven-Twelve Quiz to assess the student's knowledge and understanding of the last portion of the story. Lesson 65 The Time Machine Vocabulary Review Objective: The student will know the meanings of the Vocabulary words assigned during the reading of The Time Machine and use each one correctly in a sentence. Lesson 66 The Time Machine Vocabulary Test Objective: The student will demonstrate knowledge of Vocabulary words assigned during the study of The Time Machine by using them in sentences. Lesson 67 The Time Machine Movie Objective: The student will be able to view a cinematic presentation of The Time Machine. Lesson 68 The Time Machine Movie, continued Objective: The student will continue viewing a cinematic presentation of The Time Machine.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 69 The Time Machine; Reflective Essay Objective: The student will write a reflective essay based on a prompt related to the book and film version of The Time Machine. Lessons 70–71 The Time Machine Movie and Story Analysis Objective: The student will be able to use creative means to represent understanding of The Time Machine as it relates to his own world. The student will also use technology to present research on a topic relating to The Time Machine. Lessons 72–75 The Time Machine Writing Assignment: Organization and Preparation Preparing an Outline and First Draft Editing the Rough Draft Preparing the Final Draft Objective: The student will be able to use the writing process effectively and set a purpose for reflecting upon and responding to a piece of literature in a critical way. Lesson 76 Grammar—Part II: Defining a Noun Objective: The student will be able to identify and use proper and common nouns. Lesson 77 Grammar—Part II: Singular and Plural Nouns Objective: The student will be able to identify and use singular and plural nouns in writing correctly. Lesson 78 Singular and Plural Nouns Assessment Objective: The student's understanding of Singular and Plural Nouns will be assessed. Lesson 79 Possessive Nouns Objective: The student will be able to identify and use possessive nouns correctly in writing. Lesson 80 Nouns Assessment Objective: The student's understanding of nouns will be assessed. Lesson 81 Defining a Pronoun Objective: The student will be able to understand and use pronouns. The student will be able to use pronouns effectively and properly in their writing. Lesson 82 Subject and Predicate Pronouns Objective: The student will be able to understand and use subject, predicate, and object pronouns effectively in writing.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lessons 83–84 Using Subject and Predicate Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Objects in Writing Objective: The student will use Subject and Predicate Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns in specific writing assignments. Lesson 85 Possessive, Reflexive, and Intensive Pronouns Objective: The student will be able to use possessive, reflexive, and intensive pronouns correctly in writing. Lesson 86 Interrogative and Demonstrative Pronouns Objective: The student will be able to understand how to use interrogative and demonstrative pronouns correctly and effectively in writing. Lesson 87 Pronoun Agreement Objective: The student will be able to understand how to make a pronoun agree with the antecedent. Lesson 88 Indefinite Pronoun Agreement Objective: The student will be able to correctly use indefinite pronouns. Lesson 89 Pronoun Assessment Objective: The student will be able to display understanding of pronoun usage. Lesson 90 Grammar—Part III: Defining a Verb Objective: The student will be able to understand all of the various types of verbs that they may use in writing. Lesson 91 Grammar—Part III: Understanding Action Verbs Objective: The student will be able to recognize transitive and intransitive action verbs within sentences, and will be able to explain their relationship to direct and indirect objects. Lesson 92 Grammar—Part III: Understanding Linking Verbs Objective: The student will be able to understand and use linking verbs. Lesson 93 Grammar—Part III: Principal Parts of a Verb Objective: The student will be able to understand and correctly use the four principal parts of a verb: Past, Past Participle, Present, Present Participle. Lesson 94 Grammar—Part III: Understanding Irregular Verbs Objective: The student will memorize several irregular verbs and be able to conjugate them correctly.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 95 Grammar Part III: Past, Present and Future Tenses Objective: The student will be able to understand and use the three simple verb tenses. Lesson 96 Grammar—Part III: Perfect Tense Objective: The student will be able to understand and use the perfect tense correctly, and distinguish between past, present, and future perfect tenses. Lesson 97 Grammar—Part III: Verb Tenses Practice Objective: The student will be able to use the different tenses of a verb to express time of an action. Lesson 98 Grammar—Part III: Common Problematic Verbs Objective: The student will be able to correctly use some of the common verbs that cause problems in writing. Lesson 99 Grammar—Part III: Verbs Assessment Objective: The student will be able to display understanding of verbs as taught during Lessons 91 through 99. Lesson 100 Reading Informational Texts: Newspapers Objective: The student will become familiar with key newspaper components, practice reading articles for information and determine the author's point of view or purpose for writing the article. Lesson 101 Reading Informational Texts: Books Objective: The student will be able to analyze and explain how authors use informational text to enhance the meaning of central , key or supporting ideas. The student will also determine the author's purpose for writing the text. Lesson 102 Using Informational Texts Objective: The student will be introduced to the SQ3R method of reading in preparation for an advanced research project. Lesson 103 The Research Process: SQ3R Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the SQ3R process and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to understand the research process. Lesson 104 The Research Process: SQ3R Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the SQ3R process and knowledge of how to read informational texts and utilize different media in order to understand the research process. Lesson 105 The Research Process: SQ3R Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the SQ3R process and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to understand the research process.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 106 The Research Process: SQ3R Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the SQ3R process and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to understand the research process. Lesson 107 The Research Process: SQ3R Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the SQ3R process and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to paraphrase and transcribe previously researched information. Lesson 108 The Research Process: Making an Outline Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the outlining process and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to understand the research process. Lesson 109 The Research Process: Organizing Information Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the outlining and note-taking processes and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to understand the research process. Lesson 110 The Research Process: Writing the Rough Draft Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the outlining and note-taking processes to construct a well-written first draft of a research paper. Lesson 111 The Research Process: Crediting Sources Objective: The student will be able to use appropriate documentation techniques to learn how to give credit to an author whose ideas have been used in your research paper. Lesson 112 The Research Process: The Bibliography Objective: The student will be able to use appropriate documentation techniques to learn how to give credit to an author whose ideas you have used in your research paper. Lesson 113 The Research Process: Revising and Editing Objective: The student will be able to revise and edit research paper according to the requirements the paper will be graded upon. Lesson 114 The Research Process: Creating the Final Copy Objective: The student will be able to revise and edit a research paper according to the requirements upon which the paper will be graded. Lesson 115 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson Objective: The student will critically read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 116 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson Objective: The student will critically read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Lesson 117 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson Objective: The student will critically read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Lesson 118 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson Objective: The student will critically read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Lesson 119 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson Objective: The student will critically read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Lesson 120 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Assessment Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of Frank L. Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Lesson 121 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Mini-Lesson Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adverbs correctly in writing. Lesson 122 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Mini-Lesson Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adverbs correctly in writing.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 123 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Mini-Lesson Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adverbs correctly in writing. Lesson 124 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Quiz Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. Materials Needed: Journal Lesson 125 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective or Adverb? Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives and adverbs correctly in writing. Lesson 126 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverbs in Writing Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adverbs correctly in writing. Lesson 127 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverbs in Writing Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adverbs correctly in writing. Lesson 128 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Assessment Objective: The student will continue to read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Lesson 129 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Punctuation Objective: The student will continue to read analyze the modern-day significance of Frank L. Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use appropriate types of punctuation in a sentence. Lesson 130 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Punctuation Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of Frank L. Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use appropriate types of punctuation in a sentence.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 131 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Studying the Comma Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of Frank L. Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use appropriate types of punctuation in a sentence. Lesson 132 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Studying the Comma Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of Frank L. Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use appropriate types of punctuation in a sentence. Lesson 133 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Quotation Marks Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of Frank L. Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use quotation marks in a sentence. Lesson 134 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Semicolons Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of Frank L. Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use the semicolon in a sentence. Lesson 135 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Colons Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of Frank L. Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use colons in a sentence. Lesson 136 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; The Hyphen and the Dash Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of Frank L. Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use the hyphen and the dash in a sentence. Lesson 137 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Parentheses Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of Frank L. Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use parentheses in sentences. Lesson 138 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Movie Objective: The student will be able to view and analyze a cinematic interpretation of Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Lesson 139 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Movie Objective: The student will be able to view and analyze a cinematic interpretation of Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 140 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Movie Objective: The student will be able to view and analyze a cinematic interpretation of Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Lesson 141 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Punctuation Assessment for Writing Assignment Objective: The student will review and be assessed on the correct usages of the various types of punctuation to prepare for The Wonderful Wizard Oz Writing Assignment in Lesson 142. Lesson 142 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Writing Assignment Objective: The student will compare and contrast the book and movie version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and write an argument to support which one the student likes better. Lesson 143 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Writing Assignment Objective: The student will compare and contrast the book and movie version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and write an argument to support which one the student likes better. Lesson 144 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Writing Assignment Objective: The student will compare and contrast the book and movie version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and write an argument to support which one the student likes better. Lesson 145 Poetry: Voice Objective: The student will be able to understand voice as it is used poetry in order to compose a collection of her own poems of various forms and types. Key Vocabulary: Voice Lesson 146 Poetry: Stanza Objective: The student will be able to understand the use of stanzas in poetry in order to compose a collection of his own poems of various forms and types. Lesson 147 Poetry: Rhyme Objective: The student will be able to understand the use of rhyme in poetry in order to compose a collection of her own poems of various forms and types. Lesson 148 Poetry: Repetition Objective: The student will be able to understand the various elements of poetry in order to compose a collection of her own poems of various forms and types.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 149 Poetry: The Ballad Poem Objective: The student will be able to understand the various elements of poetry in order to compose a collection of his or her own poems of various forms and types. Lesson 150 Poetry: Rhythm Objective: The student will be able to understand the various elements of poetry in order to compose a collection of his or her own poems of various forms and types. Lesson 151 Haiku Objective: The student will be introduced to haiku and respond to published examples of haiku in writing. Lesson 152 Haiku Objective: The student will begin to write original haiku to add to her poetry collection. Key Vocabulary: Haiku Lesson 153 Haiku Objective: The student will continue practice in creating original haiku. Key Vocabulary: Haiku Lesson 154 Haiku Objective: The student will create a book of original haiku. Key Vocabulary: Haiku Lesson 155 Visual Poetry Objective: The student will begin the process of creating an original visual poem. Key Vocabulary: Visual poem Lesson 156 Visual Poetry Objective: The student will create three original visual poems. Key Vocabulary: Visual poem Lesson 157 Narrative Poetry Objective: The student will begin to understand the concept of narrative poetry and will prepare to create a narrative poem. Key Vocabulary: Narrative poem Lesson 158 Narrative Poetry Objective: The student will write a narrative poem in the free verse style.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 159 The Poetry Slam Objective: The student will experience hearing poetry spoken aloud and will share original poetry with a live audience. Lesson 160 Poetry Review Objective: The student will actively review the poetry unit Lessons in order to perform well on the assessment.
Lesson 161 Poetry Assessment Objective: The student will demonstrate knowledge of poetic forms and devices. Lesson 162 The Narrative Essay Objective: The student will compose a well-developed paragraph for possible use as a building block in a future narrative essay. Lesson 163 The Narrative Essay Objective: The student will compose a well-written narrative essay using well-developed paragraph structure. Lesson 164 The Narrative Essay Objective: The student will compose a well-written narrative essay using well-developed paragraph structure. Lesson 165 The Narrative Essay Objective: The student will be able to compose a well-written narrative essay using well-developed paragraph structure. Lesson 166 The Narrative Essay Objective: The student will be able to compose a well-written narrative essay using well-developed paragraph structure. Lesson 167 Speaking and Listening Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will improve listening skills by observing conversations between people and noting examples of effective and ineffective listening. Lesson 168 Speaking and Listening Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will evaluate his listening skills.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 169 Speaking and Listening Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will interview a partner, prepare the information for an oral report, and practice for the oral presentation. Lesson 170 Speaking and Listening Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will assess a particular public speaking situation and will learn the culminating activity requirements. Lesson 171 The Informative Speech Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will outline an informational speech to be delivered as a culminating project. Lesson 172 The Demonstrative Speech Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will prepare and deliver a demonstrative speech. Lesson 173 The Introduction Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will write an effective introduction to the culminating speech activity. Lesson 174 The Body Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will create the body of an informational speech. Lesson 175 The Conclusion Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will write an effective conclusion to the culminating activity speech. Lesson 176 Revision, Editing, and Practice Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will revise and practice the speech for the culminating activity.
TABLE OF CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS
Lesson 177 The Visual Aid Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will research and create a visual aid to accompany the culminating speech activity. Lesson 178 The Visual Aid Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will create an effective visual aid for the culminating activity. Lesson 179 Speech Practice Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will practice the culminating activity aloud. Lesson 180 The Final Oral Presentation Objective: The student will give a formally prepared speech reflecting on the school year.
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Take Off To a Fine Start In Language Arts! To the Student Each daily Lesson begins with a question. This isn’t a trick question—you can’t study for this question—but you do have to think about it before you answer. The more you think, write or talk about your answer, the more relevant the material will become, the more interested you will be in what you are about to learn, and the better you will be able to understand and apply what you are about to learn.
Sixth Grade Language Arts Common Core Alignment
CompleteCurriculumLesson
Reading: Literature --Key Ideas and Details
RL.6.1.Citetextualevidencetosupportanalysisofwhatthetextsays explicitlyaswellasinferencesdrawnfromthetext. 29,115Ͳ137 RL.6.2.Determineathemeorcentralideaofatextandhowitis conveyedthroughparticulardetails;provideasummaryofthetext distinctfrompersonalopinionsorjudgments. 2,7,8 RL.6.3.Describehowaparticularstory’sordrama’splotunfoldsina seriesofepisodesaswellashowthecharactersrespondorchangeas theplotmovestowardaresolution.
4,5,8,17,23,29,32,125
-- Craft and Structure
RL.6.4.Determinethemeaningofwordsandphrasesastheyareused inatext,includingfigurativeandconnotativemeanings;analyzethe impactofaspecificwordchoiceonmeaningandtone. 21,22,24Ͳ27,32,115Ͳ118,121Ͳ123,131Ͳ 136 RL.6.5.Analyzehowaparticularsentence,chapter,scene,orstanza fitsintotheoverallstructureofatextandcontributestothe 27,32 developmentofthetheme,setting,orplot. RL.6.6.Explainhowanauthordevelopsthepointofviewofthe narratororspeakerinatext. 9,10,11,12,14 -- Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RL.6.7.Compareandcontrasttheexperienceofreadingastory, drama,orpoemtolisteningtoorviewinganaudio,video,orlive versionofthetext,includingcontrastingwhatthey“see”and“hear” 30,67,68 RL.6.8.(Notapplicabletoliterature) RL.6.9.Compareandcontrasttextsindifferentformsorgenres(e.g., storiesandpoems;historicalnovelsandfantasystories)intermsof 33, theirapproachestosimilarthemesandtopics. -- Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.6.10.Bytheendoftheyear,readandcomprehendliterature, includingstories,dramas,andpoems,inthegrades6–8text complexitybandproficiently,withscaffoldingasneededatthehigh
1,4,13,14,51Ͳ64
Reading: Informational Text --Key Ideas and Details
RI.6.1.Citetextualevidencetosupportanalysisofwhatthetextsays explicitlyaswellasinferencesdrawnfromthetext. 2,101,102,104,105,106,107
RI.6.2.Determineacentralideaofatextandhowitisconveyed throughparticulardetails;provideasummaryofthetextdistinctfrom 101,102,104,105,106,107 personalopinionsorjudgments. RI.6.3.Analyzeindetailhowakeyindividual,event,orideais introduced,illustrated,andelaboratedinatext(e.g.,through 105,106,107 examplesoranecdotes). -- Craft and Structure
RI.6.4.Determinethemeaningofwordsandphrasesastheyareused inatext,includingfigurative,connotative,andtechnicalmeanings. 105,106,107 RI.6.5.Analyzehowaparticularsentence,paragraph,chapter,or sectionfitsintotheoverallstructureofatextandcontributestothe developmentoftheideas. RI.6.6.Determineanauthor’spointofvieworpurposeinatextand explainhowitisconveyedinthetext.
105,106,107
100,101,105,106,107 -- Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RI.6.7.Integrateinformationpresentedindifferentmediaorformats (e.g.,visually,quantitatively)aswellasinwordstodevelopacoherent 104,105,106,107 understandingofatopicorissue. RI.6.8.Traceandevaluatetheargumentandspecificclaimsinatext, distinguishingclaimsthataresupportedbyreasonsandevidencefrom 104, claimsthatarenot. RI.6.9.Compareandcontrastoneauthor’spresentationofeventswith thatofanother(e.g.,amemoirwrittenbyandabiographyonthe 51,104 sameperson). -- Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RI.6.10.Bytheendoftheyear,readandcomprehendliterary nonfictioninthegrades6–8textcomplexitybandproficiently,with scaffoldingasneededatthehighendoftherange. 2,100,101,102,104,105,106,107 Writing --Text Types and Purposes
W.6.1.Writeargumentstosupportclaimswithclearreasonsand relevantevidence. Introduceclaim(s)andorganizethereasonsandevidenceclearly. 69,142,143,144 Supportclaim(s)withclearreasonsandrelevantevidence,using crediblesourcesanddemonstratinganunderstandingofthetopicor 69,142,143,144 t t Usewords,phrases,andclausestoclarifytherelationshipsamong claim(s)andreasons. 143,144 Establishandmaintainaformalstyle. 143,144
Provideaconcludingstatementorsectionthatfollowsfromthe argumentpresented.
69,143,144
W.6.2.Writeinformative/explanatorytextstoexamineatopicand conveyideas,concepts,andinformationthroughtheselection, Introduceatopic;organizeideas,concepts,andinformation,using strategiessuchasdefinition,classification,comparison/contrast,and cause/effect;includeformatting(e.g.,headings),graphics(e.g.,charts, tables),andmultimediawhenusefultoaidingcomprehension. 22,33Ͳ36,72,73,108Ͳ110,114,142 Developthetopicwithrelevantfacts,definitions,concretedetails, quotations,orotherinformationandexamples.
2,34,36,72,73,109,110,114,142
Useappropriatetransitionstoclarifytherelationshipsamongideas andconcepts.
34,36,110,114,142
UsepreciselanguageanddomainͲspecificvocabularytoinformabout orexplainthetopic. 34,36,72,73,110,114,142 Establishandmaintainaformalstyle. 34,36,72,73,110,114,142 Provideaconcludingstatementorsectionthatfollowsfromthe informationorexplanationpresented.
34,36,72,73,110,114,142
W.6.3.Writenarrativestodeveloprealorimaginedexperiencesor eventsusingeffectivetechnique,relevantdescriptivedetails,andwellͲ structuredeventsequences. Engageandorientthereaderbyestablishingacontextand introducinganarratorand/orcharacters;organizeaneventsequence 162Ͳ164 thatunfoldsnaturallyandlogically. Usenarrativetechniques,suchasdialogue,pacing,anddescription,to developexperiences,events,and/orcharacters. 162Ͳ164 Useavarietyoftransitionwords,phrases,andclausestoconvey sequenceandsignalshiftsfromonetimeframeorsettingtoanother. 162-164
Useprecisewordsandphrases,relevantdescriptivedetails,and sensorylanguagetoconveyexperiencesandevents. 162Ͳ164 Provideaconclusionthatfollowsfromthenarratedexperiencesor events. 163,164 -- Production and Distribution of Writing
W.6.4.Produceclearandcoherentwritinginwhichthedevelopment, organization,andstyleareappropriatetotask,purpose,and audience.(GradeͲspecificexpectationsforwritingtypesaredefinedin 3,34,37,52,53,69Ͳ75,110,114,142, standards1–3above.) 163Ͳ165
W.6.5.Withsomeguidanceandsupportfrompeersandadults, developandstrengthenwritingasneededbyplanning,revising, editing,rewriting,ortryinganewapproach.
38Ͳ40,74,75,113,114,143,144,165, 166
W.6.6.Usetechnology,includingtheInternet,toproduceandpublish writingaswellastointeractandcollaboratewithothers;demonstrate sufficientcommandofkeyboardingskillstotypeaminimumofthree pagesinasinglesitting. 16,102Ͳ105 -- Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.6.7.Conductshortresearchprojectstoansweraquestion,drawing onseveralsourcesandrefocusingtheinquirywhenappropriate. 16,102Ͳ107 W.6.8.Gatherrelevantinformationfrommultipleprintanddigital sources;assessthecredibilityofeachsource;andquoteor 102Ͳ107,111,112 paraphrasethedataandconclusionsofotherswhileavoiding W.6.9.Drawevidencefromliteraryorinformationaltextstosupport analysis,reflection,andresearch. Applygrade6Readingstandards toliterature(e.g.,“Compareand contrasttextsindifferentformsorgenres[e.g.,storiesandpoems; historicalnovelsandfantasystories]intermsoftheirapproachesto similarthemesandtopics”). Applygrade6Readingstandards toliterarynonfiction(e.g.,“Trace andevaluatetheargumentandspecificclaimsinatext,distinguishing claimsthataresupportedbyreasonsandevidencefromclaimsthat arenot”).
22,36,69,142
101,102
-- Range of Writing
W.6.10.Writeroutinelyoverextendedtimeframes(timeforresearch, reflection,andrevision)andshortertimeframes(asinglesittingora 15,17Ͳ20,25,29,32,52Ͳ64,100,101, dayortwo)forarangeofdisciplineͲspecifictasks,purposes,and 103,118,119,121Ͳ140,142,143,145Ͳ audiences. 158,160,161 Speaking and Listening --Comprehension and Collaboration
SL.6.1.Engageeffectivelyinarangeofcollaborativediscussions(oneͲ onͲone,ingroups,andteacherͲled)withdiversepartnersongrade6 topics,texts,andissues,buildingonothers’ideasandexpressingtheir ownclearly. Cometodiscussionsprepared,havingreadorstudiedrequired material;explicitlydrawonthatpreparationbyreferringtoevidence 21,141,159 onthetopic,text,orissuetoprobeandreflectonideasunder Followrulesforcollegialdiscussions,setspecificgoalsanddeadlines, anddefineindividualrolesasneeded. 167,168,
Poseandrespondtospecificquestionswithelaborationanddetailby makingcommentsthatcontributetothetopic,text,orissueunder 21,141,169 discussion. Reviewthekeyideasexpressedanddemonstrateunderstandingof multipleperspectivesthroughreflectionandparaphrasing. 171, SL.6.2.Interpretinformationpresentedindiversemediaandformats (e.g.,visually,quantitatively,orally)andexplainhowitcontributesto 67,68,69,167 atopic,text,orissueunderstudy. SL.6.3.Delineateaspeaker’sargumentandspecificclaims, distinguishingclaimsthataresupportedbyreasonsandevidencefrom 168,172 claimsthatarenot. --Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
SL.6.4.Presentclaimsandfindings,sequencingideaslogicallyand usingpertinentdescriptions,facts,anddetailstoaccentuatemain ideasorthemes;useappropriateeyecontact,adequatevolume,and clearpronunciation. 169Ͳ176,179,180 SL.6.5..Includemultimediacomponents(e.g.,graphics,images,music, sound)andvisualdisplaysinpresentationstoclarifyinformation. 16,177Ͳ180 SL.6.6.Adaptspeechtoavarietyofcontextsandtasks,demonstrating commandofformalEnglishwhenindicatedorappropriate. 159,171Ͳ176,179,180 Language --Conventions of Standard English
L.6.1.DemonstratecommandoftheconventionsofstandardEnglish grammarandusagewhenwritingorspeaking. Ensurethatpronounsareinthepropercase(subjective,objective, possessive). 81,84Ͳ89 Useintensivepronouns(e.g.,myself,ourselves ). 36,41,84,85,89, Recognizeandcorrectinappropriateshiftsinpronounnumberand person.* 87Ͳ89 Recognizeandcorrectvaguepronouns(i.e.,oneswithunclearor ambiguousantecedents).* 82,83,86,89 RecognizevariationsfromstandardEnglishintheirownandothers' writingandspeaking,andidentifyandusestrategiestoimprove 82,83,86Ͳ89,176 expressioninconventionallanguage.* L.6.2.DemonstratecommandoftheconventionsofstandardEnglish capitalization,punctuation,andspellingwhenwriting. Usepunctuation(commas,parentheses,dashes)tosetoff nonrestrictive/parentheticalelements.*
36,72Ͳ75,131,165
Spellcorrectly. 36,72Ͳ75,165 --Knowledge of Language
L.6.3.Useknowledgeoflanguageanditsconventionswhenwriting, speaking,reading,orlistening. Varysentencepatternsformeaning,reader/listenerinterest,and style.* Maintainconsistencyinstyleandtone.*
36,72Ͳ75,165 36,72Ͳ75,165,
--Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.6.4.DetermineorclarifythemeaningofunknownandmultipleͲ meaningwordsandphrasesbasedongrade6readingandcontent, choosingflexiblyfromarangeofstrategies. Usecontext(e.g.,theoverallmeaningofasentenceorparagraph;a word’spositionorfunctioninasentence)asacluetothemeaningof awordorphrase. 20,51,53Ͳ66 Usecommon,gradeͲappropriateGreekorLatinaffixesandrootsas cluestothemeaningofaword(e.g.,audience,auditory,audible ). 17,27 Consultreferencematerials(e.g.,dictionaries,glossaries, thesauruses),bothprintanddigital,tofindthepronunciationofa wordordetermineorclarifyitsprecisemeaningoritspartofspeech. 27,28,51,53Ͳ66 Verifythepreliminarydeterminationofthemeaningofawordor phrase(e.g.,bycheckingtheinferredmeaningincontextorina dictionary). 17,20 L.6.5.Demonstrateunderstandingoffigurativelanguage,word relationships,andnuancesinwordmeanings. Interpretfiguresofspeech(e.g.,personification)incontext. 21,24,32 Usetherelationshipbetweenparticularwords(e.g.,cause/effect, part/whole,item/category)tobetterunderstandeachofthewords. 15, Distinguishamongtheconnotations(associations)ofwordswith similardenotations(definitions)(e.g.,stingy,scrimping,economical, 28, unwasteful,thrifty ). L.6.6.AcquireanduseaccuratelygradeͲappropriategeneralacademic anddomainͲspecificwordsandphrases;gathervocabularyknowledge whenconsideringawordorphraseimportanttocomprehensionor 51,53Ͳ66,115Ͳ118,121Ͳ123,131Ͳ136
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—1
Lesson 1
Introduction to Reading
Objective: The student will be introduced to reading strategies necessary to read for understanding. Key Vocabulary: Periodical, Prediction, Visualization, Personal Connection, Questions, Review Materials Needed: Writing journal, an Encyclopedia, a Magazine, a Newspaper, a Short story. Engage: Engaging Question: How do you read? Do you read every word or do you skim? What are some of the ways that help you develop meaning from something you read? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Since this course focuses on Literature, Lesson 1 is an introduction to the five reading strategies: Prediction, Visualization, Personal Connection, Questions, Review. Explain each of the strategies to the student using the information provided: Prediction—You can become an active reader by trying to determine, or guess, what will happen next in the text. Visualization—You can help develop an idea of the events in the story by picturing in your mind what you are seeing occur on the pages you are reading. Personal Connection—You may better understand what you are reading if you can make a personal connection between the text and your own personal life. For example, if the main character has a little sister and you do too, then you can relate to the main character through that common experience. Questions—Make a list of questions that you have about what you are reading and read to find the answers to these questions. Review—As you read, you may often have to review what you have read, so that you don’t forget the main idea of the story. You will also introduce this course to the student by discussing the primary tools used for reading comprehension which include: Note-taking, a Writing Portfolio, and a Reading Log. These tools will be used throughout this course. Again, review these tools with the student. It may be a good idea to hold a discussion regarding how each tool relates to effective reading comprehension. This will enable the student to connect the two parts of this Lesson.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—2
Notebook / Note-taking—Recording questions, ideas, comments, thoughts, etc in a notebook that is kept throughout the year, will help you be able to go back and examine this log of your work. Note taking is a key component to success in every subject area. Writing portfolio—When creating pieces of writing, it is helpful to keep them in a portfolio that documents your progress as a writer over a period of time. You can use these pieces to go back and correct errors and build skills as you learn new tools that strengthen your writing. Reading log—It is a good idea to keep track of what you read and how much you read daily to determine whether or not you are putting enough time and effort into building your reading comprehension skills. [this doesn’t really demonstrate reading comprehension but rather amount of reading. A reading log can determine effort to become a better reader and commitment to reading.] Once the student has a solid understanding of the above reading strategies and tools for reading comprehension, have her complete the Introduction to Reading Worksheet. Note that the student will need three different types of reading material to complete the handout—an encyclopedia, newspaper or magazine, and a short story. Introduction to Reading Worksheet Answer Key: What is the purpose of reading an encyclopedia entry? To gain factual information about a particular topic. What is the purpose of reading a periodical? To gain current information about a topic, such as news and current events. What is the purpose of reading a story? For entertainment and enjoyment. Lesson Wrap-Up: After the student has completed the readings and Worksheet, encourage her to consider the answers to these questions: What are some of the similarities and differences you noticed between the texts? What in particular was different about their purposes? Was one easier to predict than another?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—1
Lesson 1
Introduction to Reading
You will begin your course in Sixth Grade Language Arts by learning the basic strategies that will help you become an active, effective reader! Being a good reader is not only important for your education now, but for a successful future as well! You will begin each class period by responding to a daily Engaging Question in your journal. Your answers should be clear and thoughtful. These responses should be expressed in about five complete sentences. Avid readers, who are experienced readers who read often, apply several different types of strategies when reading in order to uncover meaning and increase comprehension. Let’s examine these strategies: Prediction—You can become an active reader by trying to determine, or guess, what will happen next in the text. Visualization—You can gain a better idea of the events in the story by picturing in your mind what you are reading. Personal Connection—You may better understand what you are reading if you can make a personal connection between the text and your own personal life. For example, if the main character has a little sister and you do too, then you can relate to the main character through that common experience. Questions—Make a list of questions that you have about what you are reading and read to find the answers to these questions. Review—As you read, you may often have to review what you have read, so that you don’t forget the main idea of the story. Readers also use various tools that may help develop ideas and thoughts as well as help to clarify questions they have before, during and after reading. We will use several of these tools throughout our quest in 6th Grade Language Arts. Notebook / Note-taking—Recording questions, ideas, comments, thoughts, etc., in a notebook that is kept throughout the year will help you be able to go back and examine this log of your work. Note taking is a key component to success in every subject area. Writing portfolio—When creating pieces of writing, it is helpful to keep them in a portfolio that documents your progress as a writer over a period of time. You can use these pieces to go back and correct errors and build skills as you learn new tools that strengthen your writing.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—2
Reading log—It is a good idea to keep track of what you read and how much you read daily to determine whether or not you are putting enough time and effort into building your reading comprehension skills. Next, you will receive three different texts to read—an encyclopedia, a magazine or newspaper, and a short story. Complete the Introduction to Reading Worksheet as you work through each text. Lesson Wrap-Up: After you have completed the readings and Worksheet, consider the answers to these questions: What are some of the similarities and differences you noticed between the texts? What in particular was different about their purposes? Was one easier to predict than another?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—3
Introduction to Reading Activity Part 1: You have been given an encyclopedia. Choose an entry on a specific topic and work through the questions below. What do you think is the purpose of reading an encyclopedia entry?
Preview the entry to predict what it may be about. Write out your predictions. Do not read the entire entry yet.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—4
Identify a personal connection you have to this text.
Now, read the entire entry. Jot down any questions you may have.
Try to create a visual picture in your mind of the main idea. Draw this image here:
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—5
Summarize what you have read.
Part 2: You have been given a magazine or newspaper. Choose an article and work through the questions below. What do you think is the purpose of reading a periodical?
Preview the article to predict what it may be about. Write out your predictions. Do not read the entire article yet.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—6
Identify a personal connection you have to this text.
Now, read the entire article. Jot down any questions you may have.
Try to create a visual picture in your mind of the main idea. Draw this image here:
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—7
Summarize what you have read.
Part 3: You have been given a short story. Work through the questions below. What do you think is the purpose of reading a story?
Preview the story to predict what it may be about. Write out your predictions. Do not read the entire story yet.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—8
Identify a personal connection you have to this text.
Now, read through half of the story. Jot down any questions you may have.
Try to create a visual picture in your mind of the main idea. Draw this image here:
STUDENT MANUAL
Stop and predict what you think will happen next.
Summarize what you have read.
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 1—9
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 2—1
Lesson 2
Successful Note-Taking: Part 1
Objective: The student will learn how to take effective notes while reading. Materials Needed: Highlighter, Writing journal, Index cards Literary Selection: Biography of Amelia Earhart Engage: Engaging Question: Can you think of a time outside of class that you take notes? Why do you take these notes? (Example: Answering a phone call for someone else and taking a message for that person in order to give the details or to remind the person to return the call.) Technology Integration/Extension: After completing this activity, you might encourage the student to go beyond a one-page biography and do more in-depth research using library or internet resources. Provide the student with a different topic to research, for example: Key events in the childhood of a president, features of an animal’s habitat, or key geographic features of a country. Have the student select and skim a reference book or site to find key phrases and information related to the topic, then write the information in note form on index cards. The student can use the notes to compose a paragraph or, for more in-depth topics, a brief essay or a full report written in his or her own words sharing the result of the research. Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will help the 6th Grade student become fully prepared for High School and College level course note-taking, one of the most important tools for your student. Explain that College and University professors often lecture and it is the responsibility of the student to determine what information is important, to write it down accurately and efficiently for future review. The student will select a topic related to a brief biography of Amelia Earhart from the list in this Lesson. He will then read the selection in its entirety and determine specific and important information related to the topic chosen. When the student has located important or critical information, he should jot down notes on index cards, one idea or note per index card. The information on the index cards provide visual representation of the “notes” the student might write if he were using library resources to research the topic. Have the student read the brief biography of Amelia Earhart in this Lesson. Instruct him to eliminate or cross out any information NOT related to the following topic: Reasons Many People Think Amelia Earhart Is a Hero
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 2—2
The following might be among the phrases in the biography article that were NOT crossed out:
worked as a nurse in a hospital for soldiers first woman to fly cross the Atlantic Ocean flew across the Atlantic on her own in record time first woman to fly from Hawaii to California participated in a cross-country air race for women pilots founded an organization of women pilots set out to fly around the world When the student has completed his note-taking, he will then write a clear and concise paragraph based upon the most important highlighted information. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: Re-read the biography of Amelia Earhart. Lesson Wrap-Up: When the student is finished highlighting, have him use the most important highlighted information to write a clear and concise paragraph in his journal on his chosen topic or theme.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 2—1
Lesson 2
Successful Note-Taking: Part 1
Can you think of a time outside of class that you take notes? Why do you take these notes? In the previous Lesson, you learned that there are several very basic strategies that you can use when reading, to develop intuitive reading skills. You also learned that there are a few tools you can use that will enable you to become an active and effective reader. In this Lesson, you will focus on one of the most important of those tools—note-taking. Note-taking is an essential tool to learn because it is a skill that is used throughout the disciplines and subject areas, from grade school through the college. Note-taking is really useful for studying for tests because it allows you to go back and review material you may have forgotten. However, note-taking is not only a skill that is important in the classroom, it can be helpful in everyday life—from taking phone messages to helping you keep track of the characters in your favorite book. The following activity will help you practice note-taking. Skim the brief biography of Amelia Earhart in this Lesson to locate specific information related to the focus of your search. Choose one of the following topics to research:
Topics/Themes Amelia’s Family Life Important Airplane Flights in Amelia’s Life Turning Points in Amelia’s Life Important People in Amelia‘s Life Whichever topic you choose, you should skim the biography for information related to the topic, use a crayon to underline (or a highlighting marker to highlight) information that supports the topic. The highlighted (or underlined) text provides a visual representation of the “notes” you might write if you were using library resources to research the topic.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 2—2
Amelia Earhart Born in Atchison, Kansas on July 24, 1897, Amelia Earhart was the oldest child of Edwin and Amy Earhart. She had a sister named Muriel who was three years younger. Although Amelia’s father had a good job working for the railroad, he lost this job due to his unfortunate addiction to alcohol. Due to the stress of this situation, Amelia’s mom Amy took her daughters and moved to Chicago. Amelia had every intention to attend college, but when she visited her sister at school in Canada during the year 1917, she met several World War I soldiers who had been hurt in battle. This motivated Amelia to become a nurse in a soldier’s hospital. In 1920, Amelia’s parents reconciled and moved back in together in a home in California. Amelia moved back with her parents as well. While in California, Amelia fell in love with flying and became determined to become a woman pilot. Amelia Earhart was able to purchase her own airplane, and in 1928, she became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Determined to break her own record, Amelia flew across the Atlantic Ocean again in 1932 in only 13 hours and 30 minutes. This feat made her famous across the world. In 1929, Amelia founded the “Ninety-Nines” organization of woman pilots, a group consisting of 99 woman who were determined to become as accomplished at flying as Amelia had become. Although she had already accomplished several amazing feats flying, she decided to fly across the world in 1937, flying from Miami, Florida to South America, across the Atlantic Ocean to Africa as well. On this trip, she was accompanied by fellow pilot and navigator Fred Noonan. The pilots continued on their journey across Thailand and Australia, but when they took off from New Guinea, the United States Coast Guard lost contact with the plane. Neither Earhart or Noonan were ever discovered and no part of the plane was ever found.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 3—1
Lesson 3
Successful Note-Taking: Part 2
Objective: The student will increase reading efficiency through note taking. Materials Needed: Pencil, paper, Writing journal, note-taking, graphic organizer, KWL chart Literary Selection: Bats article Engage: Engaging Question: In a 1998 survey of students, four out of five students admitted to cheating in school. Why do you think this is? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson’s activity will give the student another look at a way to take notes effectively by introducing the KWL Chart. Explain that K is for what the student already knows about the topic; W is for what the student wants to know about the topic and L is for what the student learns about the topic. In this Lesson, you will assign the K and W parts of the KWL chart on the topic of Bats by having the student come up with seven questions about bats that she would like to have answered. Then of those seven, have her choose three questions with which to complete the note-taking graphic organizer. Give the student a copy of the bats article that has been included at the end of this section and have the student complete the note-taking graphic organizer based on these three questions. This graphic organizer can be used as another note-taking tool when the student is reading a text to uncover information and document this information for research, comprehension or other purposes. Lesson Wrap Up: Ask the student to discuss how the graphic organizers helped or improved her note-taking skills. In other words, have her explain if or how she found them useful.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 3—1
Lesson 3
Successful Note-Taking: Part 2
In a 1998 survey of students, four out of five students admitted to cheating in school. Why do you think this is? In the previous Lesson, you learned how to take notes by visualizing and highlighting important concepts. This Lesson’s activity will give you another tool that you can use to take effective notes. Today you are going to use something called a KWL chart. Complete the K and W part of the KWL chart. In the W column, come up with at least seven questions that you would like to have answered.
Topic: K—What I Know
W—What I Want to Know
L—What I Learned
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 3—2
Once you have completed this, choose three of the seven questions you listed. Look through the copy of the bats article and complete the note-taking graphic organizer based on these three questions. This graphic organizer can be used as another note-taking tool when you are reading a text to uncover information and document this information for research, comprehension or other purposes. Lesson Wrap Up: How did the graphic organizers help or improve your note-taking skills? Did you find them useful?
Bats Many children are curious about that scary little mammal we call the bat. It is the only mammal we know of that can fly, and is most commonly recognized by the small head and wing span of varying lengths. Sometimes, bats are mistaken for birds, but they are mammals of their own species, with over 1,100 existing in the world. Almost 70% of the bat species eat insects, while the remaining 30% fruit (which we call fructivores) or meat (which we call carnivores). Although they may seem scary and dangerous, bats have a very important role in the ecological world. Bats pollinate flowers and are helpful in dispersing seeds to other areas to form new plants. Most bats are only active at night, which is why in the summer, you may often see bats flying out of trees in the early evening. Bats tend to migrate to warm weather, often moving to caves in which they will stay until winter is over. They do not like the rain, and will always seek shelter during this type of weather. Bats tend to fly alone, although some prefer to live in groups of thousands of other bats. Bats can communicate with each other using special sounds, and most carnivores are able to find food using their sonar capabilities.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 4—1
Lesson 4
The Elements of Fiction: Part 1 The Happy Family by Hans Christian Anderson
Objective: The student will be introduced to the different elements of fiction and will be able to distinguish each element. Key Vocabulary: Plot, Character, Setting, Theme, Catalyst, Exposition, Complication, Climax, Resolution Materials Needed: Pencil, Paper, Writing journal Literary Selection: The Happy Family by Hans Christian Anderson Engage: Engaging Question: What types of materials do you like to read? Why do you think you are drawn to that particular form or genre? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Once the student has responded to the Engaging Question, introduce the student to the different characteristics of fiction: plot, character, setting, and theme. It is important for the student to be able to identify and work with each of the characteristics in a piece of fiction. You will then assist the student in examining the characteristics of plots in greater detail. Explain that the plot, a series of events that has occurred in a story, has four elements or pieces: Exposition—information needed to understand a story Complication—catalyst that begins the major conflict Climax—turning point in the story that occurs when characters try to resolve the conflict Resolution—set of events that bring the story to a close. Next, assign the student to read The Happy Family and utilize the reading strategies he has learned to determine the four elements of a plot. After reading the story, have the student create a Triangular Plot Model displaying these elements. This Model is included in the Student Manual. Lesson Wrap-Up: Once the student has determined the four elements of plot, have him create a triangular model displaying these elements.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 4—1
Lesson 4
The Elements of Fiction: Part 1 The Happy Family by Hans Christian Anderson
What types of materials do you like to read? Why do you think you are drawn to that particular form or genre? Today, you will be introduced to the elements of fiction and you will learn to distinguish between each element. There are many different forms of fiction including short stories, which usually center around one main idea and are rather short, and novels, which are more complicated, longer pieces of writing. Short stories are normally read in one sitting. You will be reading various pieces of literature from each of these types throughout this course. Fiction also has several characteristics, and it is important for you to be able to identify and work with each of these characteristics in a piece of fiction. They are as follows: Plot—The plot of a story tells the events in the story. Character—The characters in a story are the people, animals, and things that the story is about. Setting—The setting of a story is the time and place in which the story takes place. Theme—The theme is the meaning of the story, or the moral idea that the story presents. Let’s examine the characteristics of plot in greater detail. The plot is the series of events that occur in a story. Most stories focus around some form of conflict or a problem. There are four elements or pieces of a plot. They are listed below: Exposition—the information needed to understand a story Complication—the catalyst that begins the major conflict Climax—the turning point in the story that occurs when characters try to resolve the complication Resolution—the set of events that bring the story to a close.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 4—2
Sometimes the plot of a story can be illustrated using the following model:
Resolution Climax Complication Exposition Now that you understand the characteristics of fiction and the components of plot, read the entire story The Happy Family. Be sure to utilize the reading strategies you’ve learned, to determine what the four elements of the plot are for this particular story. Lesson Wrap-Up: After reading this story, once you have determined the four elements of plot, create a triangular model displaying these elements.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 4—3
The Happy Family By Hans Christian Andersen (1848) The largest green leaf in this country is certainly the burdock leaf. If you hold it in front of you, it is large enough for an apron; and if you hold it over your head, it is almost as good as an umbrella, it is so wonderfully large. A burdock never grows alone; where it grows, there are many more, and it is a splendid sight; and all this splendor is good for snails. The great white snails, which grand people in olden times used to have made into fricassees; and when they had eaten them, they would say, “O, what a delicious dish!” for these people really thought them good; and these snails lived on burdock-leaves, and for them the burdock was planted. There was once an old estate where no one now lived to require snails; indeed, the owners had all died out, but the burdock still flourished; it grew over all the beds and walks of the garden—its growth had no check—till it became at last quite a forest of burdocks. Here and there stood an apple or a plum-tree; but for this, nobody would have thought the place had ever been a garden. It was burdock from one end to the other; and here lived the last two surviving snails. They knew not themselves how old they were; but they could remember the time when there were a great many more of them, and that they were descended from a family which came from foreign lands, and that the whole forest had been planted for them and theirs. They had never been away from the garden; but they knew that another place once existed in the world, called the Duke’s Palace Castle, in which some of their relations had been boiled till they became black, and were then laid on a silver dish; but what was done afterwards they did not know. Besides, they could not imagine exactly how it felt to be boiled and placed on a silver dish; but no doubt it was something very fine and highly genteel. Neither the cockchafer, nor the toad, nor the earth-worm, whom they questioned about it, would give them the least information; for none of their relations had ever been cooked or served on a silver dish. The old white snails were the most aristocratic race in the world,—they knew that. The forest had been planted for them, and the nobleman’s castle had been built entirely that they might be cooked and laid on silver dishes. They lived quite retired and very happily; and as they had no children of their own, they had adopted a little common snail, which they brought up as their own child. The little one would not grow, for he was only a common snail; but the old people, particularly the mother-snail, declared that she could easily see how he grew; and when the father said he could not perceive it, she begged him to feel the little snail’s shell, and he did so, and found that the mother was right.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 4—4
One day it rained very fast. “Listen, what a drumming there is on the burdock-leaves; turn, turn, turn; turn, turn, turn,” said the father-snail. “There come the drops,” said the mother; “they are trickling down the stalks. We shall have it very wet here presently. I am very glad we have such good houses, and that the little one has one of his own. There has been really more done for us than for any other creature; it is quite plain that we are the most noble people in the world. We have houses from our birth, and the burdock forest has been planted for us. I should very much like to know how far it extends, and what lies beyond it.” “There can be nothing better than we have here,” said the father-snail; “I wish for nothing more.” “Yes, but I do,” said the mother; “I should like to be taken to the palace, and boiled, and laid upon a silver dish, as was done to all our ancestors; and you may be sure it must be something very uncommon.” “The nobleman’s castle, perhaps, has fallen to decay,” said the snail-father, “or the burdock wood may have grown out. You need not be in a hurry; you are always so impatient, and the youngster is getting just the same. He has been three days creeping to the top of that stalk. I feel quite giddy when I look at him.” “You must not scold him,” said the mother-snail; “he creeps so very carefully. He will be the joy of our home; and we old folks have nothing else to live for. But have you ever thought where we are to get a wife for him? Do you think that farther out in the wood there may be others of our race?” “There may be black snails, no doubt,” said the old snail; “black snails without houses; but they are so vulgar and conceited too. But we can give the ants a commission; they run here and there, as if they all had so much business to get through. They, most likely, will know of a wife for our youngster.” “I certainly know a most beautiful bride,” said one of the ants; “but I fear it would not do, for she is a queen.” “That does not matter,” said the old snail; “has she a house?” “She has a palace,” replied the ant,—“a most beautiful ant-palace with seven hundred passages.” “Thank-you,” said the mother-snail; “but our boy shall not go to live in an ant-hill. If you know of nothing better, we will give the commission to the white gnats; they fly about in rain and sunshine; they know the burdock wood from one end to the other.” “We have a wife for him,” said the gnats; “a hundred man-steps from here there is a little snail with a house, sitting on a gooseberry-bush; she is quite alone, and old enough to be married. It is only a hundred man-steps from here.” “Then let her come to him,” said the old people. “He has the whole burdock forest; she has only a bush.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 4—5
So they brought the little lady-snail. She took eight days to perform the journey; but that was just as it ought to be; for it showed her to be one of the right breeding. And then they had a wedding. Six glow-worms gave as much light as they could; but in other respects it was all very quiet; for the old snails could not bear festivities or a crowd. But a beautiful speech was made by the mother-snail. The father could not speak; he was too much overcome. Then they gave the whole burdock forest to the young snails as an inheritance, and repeated what they had so often said, that it was the finest place in the world, and that if they led upright and honorable lives, and their family increased, they and their children might someday be taken to the nobleman’s palace, to be boiled black, and laid on a silver dish. And when they had finished speaking, the old couple crept into their houses, and came out no more; for they slept. The young snail pair now ruled in the forest, and had a numerous progeny. But as the young ones were never boiled or laid in silver dishes, they concluded that the castle had fallen into decay, and that all the people in the world were dead; and as nobody contradicted them, they thought they must be right. And the rain fell upon the burdock-leaves, to play the drum for them, and the sun shone to paint colors on the burdock forest for them, and they were very happy; the whole family were entirely and perfectly happy.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—1
Lesson 5
The Elements of Fiction: Part 2 The Traveling Companion by Hans Christian Anderson
Objective: The student will be able to understand characters, as an element of fiction. Key Vocabulary: Character, Physical traits, Dialogue, Actions, Attire, Opinions, Point of view, Static, Dynamic Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Traveling Companion by Hans Christian Anderson Engage: Engaging Question: Who is the most memorable character in your favorite story? What makes them memorable? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, you will examine Character, the second element of fiction, in greater detail. Explain to the student that the characters in a story are the people, animals, or things that the story is about and are mainly revealed through their personalities and traits or personal characteristics. The student should look for clues into a character’s purpose and significance in a story. Encourage the student to think about herself as if she were a character in a book. Have the student explain what kind of character she would be, detailing personal traits and characteristics. This can be done in her journal. Then, instruct the student to come up with a list of characters from short stories, fables, novels, television, movies, etc, and identify whether each character is major or minor, as well as some of the significant traits of each character. Try to incorporate all of the Vocabulary words and their meanings into this discussion. Finally, have the student read The Traveling Companion. When finished reading, the student is to identify all of the characters in the story, label each character as major or minor, and list each of the characteristic traits for each character in the story. This assessment will help demonstrate her understanding of the material. Lesson Wrap-Up: After the student has read the story, have her identify all of the characters in the story, label each character as major or minor, and list each of the characteristic traits for each character in the story.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—1
Lesson 5
The Elements of Fiction: Part 2 The Traveling Companion by Hans Christian Anderson
Who is the most memorable character in your favorite story? What makes that character memorable? In this Lesson, you will begin to understand characters as an element of fiction. As you learned in the previous Lesson, the characters in a story are the people, animals, or things that the story is about. Memorable characters in stories come alive for us while we read. Characters in stories are fictional; they don’t really exist, but you should be alert to the characters in stories by observing their actions, what they say, and how they say it. You should also look for clues into a character’s purpose and significance in a story. Characters are mainly revealed through their personalities and traits or personal characteristics. Think about yourself as if you were a character in a book. In your journal, explain in a paragraph what kind of character you would be, detailing your personal traits and characteristics. Characters are either static (unchanging) or dynamic (changing). The character who dominates the story is the major character. Readers can learn about characters in a variety of ways: Physical traits Dialogue Actions Attire Opinions Point of view Now, create a list of characters with your teacher that are from stories, fables, novels, television, movies, that you have read or seen, and identify whether each character is major or minor, as well as some of the significant traits of each character. Lesson Wrap-Up: Once you have finished reading The Travelling Companion, identify all of the characters in the story, label each character as major or minor, and list each of the characteristic traits for each character in the story.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—2
The Travelling Companion by Hans Christian Andersen (1835) POOR John was very sad; for his father was so ill, he had no hope of his recovery. John sat alone with the sick man in the little room, and the lamp had nearly burnt out; for it was late in the night. “You have been a good son, John,” said the sick father, “and God will help you on in the world.” He looked at him, as he spoke, with mild, earnest eyes, drew a deep sigh, and died; yet it appeared as if he still slept. John wept bitterly. He had no one in the wide world now; neither father, mother, brother, nor sister. Poor John! he knelt down by the bed, kissed his dead father’s hand, and wept many, many bitter tears. But at last his eyes closed, and he fell asleep with his head resting against the hard bedpost. Then he dreamed a strange dream; he thought he saw the sun shining upon him, and his father alive and well, and even heard him laughing as he used to do when he was very happy. A beautiful girl, with a golden crown on her head, and long, shining hair, gave him her hand; and his father said, “See what a bride you have won. She is the loveliest maiden on the whole earth.” Then he awoke, and all the beautiful things vanished before his eyes, his father lay dead on the bed, and he was all alone. Poor John! During the following week the dead man was buried. The son walked behind the coffin which contained his father, whom he so dearly loved, and would never again behold. He heard the earth fall on the coffin-lid, and watched it till only a corner remained in sight, and at last that also disappeared. He felt as if his heart would break with its weight of sorrow, till those who stood round the grave sang a psalm, and the sweet, holy tones brought tears into his eyes, which relieved him. The sun shone brightly down on the green trees, as if it would say, “You must not be so sorrowful, John. Do you see the beautiful blue sky above you? Your father is up there, and he prays to the loving Father of all, that you may do well in the future.” “I will always be good,” said John, “and then I shall go to be with my father in heaven. What joy it will be when we see each other again! How much I shall have to relate to him, and how many things he will be able to explain to me of the delights of heaven, and teach me as he once did on earth. Oh, what joy it will be!” He pictured it all so plainly to himself, that he smiled even while the tears ran down his cheeks. The little birds in the chestnut-trees twittered, “Tweet, tweet;” they were so happy, although they had seen the funeral; but they seemed as if they knew that the dead man was now in heaven, and that he had wings much larger and more beautiful than their own; and he was happy now, because he had been good here on earth, and they were glad of it. John saw them fly away out of the green trees into the wide world, and he longed to fly with them; but first he cut out a large wooden cross, to place on his father’s grave; and when he brought it there in the evening, he found the grave decked out with gravel and flowers. Strangers had done this; they who had known the good old father who was now dead, and who had loved him very much.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—3
Early the next morning, John packed up his little bundle of clothes, and placed all his money, which consisted of fifty dollars and a few shillings, in his girdle; with this he determined to try his fortune in the world. But first he went into the churchyard; and, by his father’s grave, he offered up a prayer, and said, “Farewell.” As he passed through the fields, all the flowers looked fresh and beautiful in the warm sunshine, and nodded in the wind, as if they wished to say, “Welcome to the green wood, where all is fresh and bright.” Then John turned to have one more look at the old church, in which he had been christened in his infancy, and where his father had taken him every Sunday to hear the service and join in singing the psalms. As he looked at the old tower, he espied the ringer standing at one of the narrow openings, with his little pointed red cap on his head, and shading his eyes from the sun with his bent arm. John nodded farewell to him, and the little ringer waved his red cap, laid his hand on his heart, and kissed his hand to him a great many times, to show that he felt kindly towards him, and wished him a prosperous journey. John continued his journey, and thought of all the wonderful things he should see in the large, beautiful world, till he found himself farther away from home than ever he had been before. He did not even know the names of the places he passed through, and could scarcely understand the language of the people he met, for he was far away, in a strange land. The first night he slept on a haystack, out in the fields, for there was no other bed for him; but it seemed to him so nice and comfortable that even a king need not wish for a better. The field, the brook, the haystack, with the blue sky above, formed a beautiful sleeping-room. The green grass, with the little red and white flowers, was the carpet; the elder-bushes and the hedges of wild roses looked like garlands on the walls; and for a bath he could have the clear, fresh water of the brook; while the rushes bowed their heads to him, to wish him good morning and good evening. The moon, like a large lamp, hung high up in the blue ceiling, and he had no fear of its setting fire to his curtains. John slept here quite safely all night; and when he awoke, the sun was up, and all the little birds were singing round him, “Good morning, good morning. Are you not up yet?” It was Sunday, and the bells were ringing for church. As the people went in, John followed them; he heard God’s word, joined in singing the psalms, and listened to the preacher. It seemed to him just as if he were in his own church, where he had been christened, and had sung the psalms with his father. Out in the churchyard were several graves, and on some of them the grass had grown very high. John thought of his father’s grave, which he knew at last would look like these, as he was not there to weed and attend to it. Then he set to work, pulled up the high grass, raised the wooden crosses which had fallen down, and replaced the wreaths which had been blown away from their places by the wind, thinking all the time, “Perhaps some one is doing the same for my father’s grave, as I am not there to do it ” Outside the church door stood an old beggar, leaning on his crutch. John gave him his silver shillings, and then he continued his journey, feeling lighter and happier than ever. Towards evening, the weather became very stormy, and he hastened on as quickly as he could, to get shelter; but it was quite dark by the time he reached a little lonely church which stood on a hill. “I will go in here,” he said, “and sit down in a corner; for I am quite tired, and want rest.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—4
So he went in, and seated himself; then he folded his hands, and offered up his evening prayer, and was soon fast asleep and dreaming, while the thunder rolled and the lightning flashed without. When he awoke, it was still night; but the storm had ceased, and the moon shone in upon him through the windows. Then he saw an open coffin standing in the centre of the church, which contained a dead man, waiting for burial. John was not at all timid; he had a good conscience, and he knew also that the dead can never injure any one. It is living wicked men who do harm to others. Two such wicked persons stood now by the dead man, who had been brought to the church to be buried. Their evil intentions were to throw the poor dead body outside the church door, and not leave him to rest in his coffin. “Why do you do this?” asked John, when he saw what they were going to do; “it is very wicked. Leave him to rest in peace, in Christ’s name.” “Nonsense,” replied the two dreadful men. “He has cheated us; he owed us money which he could not pay, and now he is dead we shall not get a penny; so we mean to have our revenge, and let him lie like a dog outside the church door.” “I have only fifty dollars,” said John, “it is all I possess in the world, but I will give it to you if you will promise me faithfully to leave the dead man in peace. I shall be able to get on without the money; I have strong and healthy limbs, and God will always help me.” “Why, of course,” said the horrid men, “if you will pay his debt we will both promise not to touch him. You may depend upon that;” and then they took the money he offered them, laughed at him for his good nature, and went their way. Then he laid the dead body back in the coffin, folded the hands, and took leave of it; and went away contentedly through the great forest. All around him he could see the prettiest little elves dancing in the moonlight, which shone through the trees. They were not disturbed by his appearance, for they knew he was good and harmless among men. They are wicked people only who can never obtain a glimpse of fairies. Some of them were not taller than the breadth of a finger, and they wore golden combs in their long, yellow hair. They were rocking themselves two together on the large dew-drops with which the leaves and the high grass were sprinkled. Sometimes the dew-drops would roll away, and then they fell down between the stems of the long grass, and caused a great deal of laughing and noise among the other little people. It was quite charming to watch them at play. Then they sang songs, and John remembered that he had learnt those pretty songs when he was a little boy. Large speckled spiders, with silver crowns on their heads, were employed to spin suspension bridges and palaces from one hedge to another, and when the tiny drops fell upon them, they glittered in the moonlight like shining glass. This continued till sunrise. Then the little elves crept into the flower-buds, and the wind seized the bridges and palaces, and fluttered them in the air like cobwebs. As John left the wood, a strong man’s voice called after him, “Hallo, comrade, where are you travelling?” “Into the wide world,” he replied; “I am only a poor lad, I have neither father nor mother, but God will help me.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—5
“I am going into the wide world also,” replied the stranger; “shall we keep each other company?” “With all my heart,” he said, and so they went on together. Soon they began to like each other very much, for they were both good; but John found out that the stranger was much more clever than himself. He had travelled all over the world, and could describe almost everything. The sun was high in the heavens when they seated themselves under a large tree to eat their breakfast, and at the same moment an old woman came towards them. She was very old and almost bent double. She leaned upon a stick and carried on her back a bundle of firewood, which she had collected in the forest; her apron was tied round it, and John saw three great stems of fern and some willow twigs peeping out. Just as she came close up to them, her foot slipped and she fell to the ground screaming loudly; poor old woman, she had broken her leg! John proposed directly that they should carry the old woman home to her cottage; but the stranger opened his knapsack and took out a box, in which he said he had a salve that would quickly make her leg well and strong again, so that she would be able to walk home herself, as if her leg had never been broken. And all that he would ask in return was the three fern stems which she carried in her apron. “That is rather too high a price,” said the old woman, nodding her head quite strangely. She did not seem at all inclined to part with the fern stems. However, it was not very agreeable to lie there with a broken leg, so she gave them to him; and such was the power of the ointment, that no sooner had he rubbed her leg with it than the old mother rose up and walked even better than she had done before. But then this wonderful ointment could not be bought at a chemist’s. “What can you want with those three fern rods?” asked John of his fellow-traveller. “Oh, they will make capital brooms,” said he; “and I like them because I have strange whims sometimes.” Then they walked on together for a long distance. “How dark the sky is becoming,” said John; “and look at those thick, heavy clouds.” “Those are not clouds,” replied his fellow-traveller; “they are mountains—large lofty mountains—on the tops of which we should be above the clouds, in the pure, free air. Believe me, it is delightful to ascend so high, tomorrow we shall be there.” But the mountains were not so near as they appeared; they had to travel a whole day before they reached them, and pass through black forests and piles of rock as large as a town. The journey had been so fatiguing that John and his fellow-traveller stopped to rest at a roadside inn, so that they might gain strength for their journey on the morrow. In the large public room of the inn a great many persons were assembled to see a comedy performed by dolls. The showman had just erected his little theatre, and the people were sitting round the room to witness the performance. Right in front, in the very best place, sat a stout butcher, with a great bull-dog by his side who seemed very much inclined to bite. He sat staring with all his eyes, and so indeed did every one else in the room. And then the play began. It was a pretty piece, with a king and a queen in it, who sat on a beautiful throne, and had gold crowns on their heads. The trains to their dresses were very long, according to the fashion; while the prettiest of wooden dolls, with glass eyes and large mustaches, stood at the doors, and opened and shut them, that the fresh air might come into the room. It was a very pleasant play, not at all mournful; but just as the queen stood up and walked across the stage, the great bull-dog, who should have been held back by his master, made a spring forward, and caught the queen in the teeth by the slender wrist, so that it snapped in two. This was a very dreadful disaster. The poor man, who was
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—6
exhibiting the dolls, was much annoyed, and quite sad about his queen; she was the prettiest doll he had, and the bull-dog had broken her head and shoulders off. But after all the people were gone away, the stranger, who came with John, said that he could soon set her to rights. And then he brought out his box and rubbed the doll with some of the salve with which he had cured the old woman when she broke her leg. As soon as this was done the doll’s back became quite right again; her head and shoulders were fixed on, and she could even move her limbs herself: there was now no occasion to pull the wires, for the doll acted just like a living creature, excepting that she could not speak. The man to whom the show belonged was quite delighted at having a doll who could dance of herself without being pulled by the wires; none of the other dolls could do this. During the night, when all the people at the inn were gone to bed, some one was heard to sigh so deeply and painfully, and the sighing continued for so long a time, that every one got up to see what could be the matter. The showman went at once to his little theatre and found that it proceeded from the dolls, who all lay on the floor sighing piteously, and staring with their glass eyes; they all wanted to be rubbed with the ointment, so that, like the queen, they might be able to move of themselves. The queen threw herself on her knees, took off her beautiful crown, and, holding it in her hand, cried, “Take this from me, but do rub my husband and his courtiers.” The poor man who owned the theatre could scarcely refrain from weeping; he was so sorry that he could not help them. Then he immediately spoke to John’s comrade, and promised him all the money he might receive at the next evening’s performance, if he would only rub the ointment on four or five of his dolls. But the fellow-traveller said he did not require anything in return, excepting the sword which the showman wore by his side. As soon as he received the sword he anointed six of the dolls with the ointment, and they were able immediately to dance so gracefully that all the living girls in the room could not help joining in the dance. The coachman danced with the cook, and the waiters with the chambermaids, and all the strangers joined; even the tongs and the fireshovel made an attempt, but they fell down after the first jump. So after all it was a very merry night. The next morning John and his companion left the inn to continue their journey through the great pine-forests and over the high mountains. They arrived at last at such a great height that towns and villages lay beneath them, and the church steeples looked like little specks between the green trees. They could see for miles round, far away to places they had never visited, and John saw more of the beautiful world than he had ever known before. The sun shone brightly in the blue firmament above, and through the clear mountain air came the sound of the huntsman’s horn, and the soft, sweet notes brought tears into his eyes, and he could not help exclaiming, “How good and loving God is to give us all this beauty and loveliness in the world to make us happy!” His fellow-traveller stood by with folded hands, gazing on the dark wood and the towns bathed in the warm sunshine. At this moment there sounded over their heads sweet music. They looked up, and discovered a large white swan hovering in the air, and singing as never bird sang before. But the song soon became weaker and weaker, the bird’s head drooped, and he sunk slowly down, and lay dead at their feet. “It is a beautiful bird,” said the traveller, “and these large white wings are worth a great deal of money. I will take them with me. You see now that a sword will be very useful.” So he cut off the wings of the dead swan with one blow, and carried them away with him.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—7
They now continued their journey over the mountains for many miles, till they at length reached a large city, containing hundreds of towers, that shone in the sunshine like silver. In the midst of the city stood a splendid marble palace, roofed with pure red gold, in which dwelt the king. John and his companion would not go into the town immediately; so they stopped at an inn outside the town, to change their clothes; for they wished to appear respectable as they walked through the streets. The landlord told them that the king was a very good man, who never injured any one: but as to his daughter, “Heaven defend us!” She was indeed a wicked princess. She possessed beauty enough—nobody could be more elegant or prettier than she was; but what of that? for she was a wicked witch; and in consequence of her conduct many noble young princes had lost their lives. Any one was at liberty to make her an offer; were he a prince or a beggar, it mattered not to her. She would ask him to guess three things which she had just thought of, and if he succeed, he was to marry her, and be king over all the land when her father died; but if he could not guess these three things, then she ordered him to be hanged or to have his head cut off. The old king, her father, was very much grieved at her conduct, but he could not prevent her from being so wicked, because he once said he would have nothing more to do with her lovers; she might do as she pleased. Each prince who came and tried the three guesses, so that he might marry the princess, had been unable to find them out, and had been hanged or beheaded. They had all been warned in time, and might have left her alone, if they would. The old king became at last so distressed at all these dreadful circumstances, that for a whole day every year he and his soldiers knelt and prayed that the princess might become good; but she continued as wicked as ever. The old women who drank brandy would color it quite black before they drank it, to show how they mourned; and what more could they do? “What a horrible princess!” said John; “she ought to be well flogged. If I were the old king, I would have her punished in some way.” Just then they heard the people outside shouting, “Hurrah!” and, looking out, they saw the princess passing by; and she was really so beautiful that everybody forgot her wickedness, and shouted “Hurrah!” Twelve lovely maidens in white silk dresses, holding golden tulips in their hands, rode by her side on coal-black horses. The princess herself had a snow-white steed, decked with diamonds and rubies. Her dress was of cloth of gold, and the whip she held in her hand looked like a sunbeam. The golden crown on her head glittered like the stars of heaven, and her mantle was formed of thousands of butterflies’ wings sewn together. Yet she herself was more beautiful than all. When John saw her, his face became as red as a drop of blood, and he could scarcely utter a word. The princess looked exactly like the beautiful lady with the golden crown, of whom he had dreamed on the night his father died. She appeared to him so lovely that he could not help loving her. “It could not be true,” he thought, “that she was really a wicked witch, who ordered people to be hanged or beheaded, if they could not guess her thoughts. Every one has permission to go and ask her hand, even the poorest beggar. I shall pay a visit to the palace,” he said; “I must go, for I cannot help myself.” Then they all advised him not to attempt it; for he would be sure to share the same fate as the
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—8
rest. His fellow-traveller also tried to persuade him against it; but John seemed quite sure of success. He brushed his shoes and his coat, washed his face and his hands, combed his soft flaxen hair, and then went out alone into the town, and walked to the palace. “Come in,” said the king, as John knocked at the door. John opened it, and the old king, in a dressing gown and embroidered slippers, came towards him. He had the crown on his head, carried his sceptre in one hand, and the orb in the other. “Wait a bit,” said he, and he placed the orb under his arm, so that he could offer the other hand to John; but when he found that John was another suitor, he began to weep so violently, that both the sceptre and the orb fell to the floor, and he was obliged to wipe his eyes with his dressing gown. Poor old king! “Let her alone,” he said; “you will fare as badly as all the others. Come, I will show you.” Then he led him out into the princess’s pleasure gardens, and there he saw a frightful sight. On every tree hung three or four king’s sons who had wooed the princess, but had not been able to guess the riddles she gave them. Their skeletons rattled in every breeze, so that the terrified birds never dared to venture into the garden. All the flowers were supported by human bones instead of sticks, and human skulls in the flowerpots grinned horribly. It was really a doleful garden for a princess. “Do you see all this?” said the old king; “your fate will be the same as those who are here, therefore do not attempt it. You really make me very unhappy,—I take these things to heart so very much.” John kissed the good old king’s hand, and said he was sure it would be all right, for he was quite enchanted with the beautiful princess. Then the princess herself came riding into the palace yard with all her ladies, and he wished her “Good morning.” She looked wonderfully fair and lovely when she offered her hand to John, and he loved her more than ever. How could she be a wicked witch, as all the people asserted? He accompanied her into the hall, and the little pages offered them gingerbread nuts and sweetmeats, but the old king was so unhappy he could eat nothing, and besides, gingerbread nuts were too hard for him. It was decided that John should come to the palace the next day, when the judges and the whole of the counsellors would be present, to try if he could guess the first riddle. If he succeeded, he would have to come a second time; but if not, he would lose his life,—and no one had ever been able to guess even one. However, John was not at all anxious about the result of his trial; on the contrary, he was very merry. He thought only of the beautiful princess, and believed that in some way he should have help, but how he knew not, and did not like to think about it; so he danced along the high-road as he went back to the inn, where he had left his fellow-traveller waiting for him. John could not refrain from telling him how gracious the princess had been, and how beautiful she looked. He longed for the next day so much, that he might go to the palace and try his luck at guessing the riddles. But his comrade shook his head, and looked very mournful. “I do so wish you to do well,” said he; “we might have continued together much longer, and now I am likely to lose you; you poor dear John! I could shed tears, but I will not make you unhappy on the last night we may be together. We will be merry, really merry this evening; to-morrow, after you are gone, shall be able to weep undisturbed.” It was very quickly known among the inhabitants of the town that another suitor had arrived for the princess, and there was great sorrow in consequence. The theatre remained closed, the women who sold sweetmeats tied crape round the sugar-sticks, and the king and the priests were on their knees in the church. There was a great lamentation, for no one expected John to succeed better than those who had been suitors before.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—9
In the evening John’s comrade prepared a large bowl of punch, and said, “Now let us be merry, and drink to the health of the princess.” But after drinking two glasses, John became so sleepy, that he could not keep his eyes open, and fell fast asleep. Then his fellow-traveller lifted him gently out of his chair, and laid him on the bed; and as soon as it was quite dark, he took the two large wings which he had cut from the dead swan, and tied them firmly to his own shoulders. Then he put into his pocket the largest of the three rods which he had obtained from the old woman who had fallen and broken her leg. After this he opened the window, and flew away over the town, straight towards the palace, and seated himself in a corner, under the window which looked into the bedroom of the princess. The town was perfectly still when the clocks struck a quarter to twelve. Presently the window opened, and the princess, who had large black wings to her shoulders, and a long white mantle, flew away over the city towards a high mountain. The fellow-traveller, who had made himself invisible, so that she could not possibly see him, flew after her through the air, and whipped the princess with his rod, so that the blood came whenever he struck her. Ah, it was a strange flight through the air! The wind caught her mantle, so that it spread out on all sides, like the large sail of a ship, and the moon shone through it. “How it hails, to be sure!” said the princess, at each blow she received from the rod; and it served her right to be whipped. At last she reached the side of the mountain, and knocked. The mountain opened with a noise like the roll of thunder, and the princess went in. The traveller followed her; no one could see him, as he had made himself invisible. They went through a long, wide passage. A thousand gleaming spiders ran here and there on the walls, causing them to glitter as if they were illuminated with fire. They next entered a large hall built of silver and gold. Large red and blue flowers shone on the walls, looking like sunflowers in size, but no one could dare to pluck them, for the stems were hideous poisonous snakes, and the flowers were flames of fire, darting out of their jaws. Shining glow-worms covered the ceiling, and sky-blue bats flapped their transparent wings. Altogether the place had a frightful appearance. In the middle of the floor stood a throne supported by four skeleton horses, whose harness had been made by fiery-red spiders. The throne itself was made of milk-white glass, and the cushions were little black mice, each biting the other’s tail. Over it hung a canopy of rose-colored spider’s webs, spotted with the prettiest little green flies, which sparkled like precious stones. On the throne sat an old magician with a crown on his ugly head, and a sceptre in his hand. He kissed the princess on the forehead, seated her by his side on the splendid throne, and then the music commenced. Great black grasshoppers played the mouth organ, and the owl struck herself on the body instead of a drum. It was altogether a ridiculous concert. Little black goblins with false lights in their caps danced about the hall; but no one could see the traveller, and he had placed himself just behind the throne where he could see and hear everything. The courtiers who came in afterwards looked noble and grand; but any one with common sense could see what they really were, only broomsticks, with cabbages for heads. The magician had given them life, and dressed them in embroidered robes. It answered very well, as they were only wanted for show. After there had been a little dancing, the princess told the magician that she had a new suitor, and asked him what she could think of for the suitor to guess when he came to the castle the next morning. “Listen to what I say,” said the magician, “you must choose something very easy, he is less likely to guess it then. Think of one of your shoes, he will never imagine it is that. Then cut his head off; and mind you do not forget to bring his eyes with you to-morrow night, that I may eat them.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—10
The princess curtsied low, and said she would not forget the eyes. The magician then opened the mountain and she flew home again, but the traveller followed and flogged her so much with the rod, that she sighed quite deeply about the heavy hail-storm, and made as much haste as she could to get back to her bedroom through the window. The traveller then returned to the inn where John still slept, took off his wings and laid down on the bed, for he was very tired. Early in the morning John awoke, and when his fellow-traveller got up, he said that he had a very wonderful dream about the princess and her shoe, he therefore advised John to ask her if she had not thought of her shoe. Of course the traveller knew this from what the magician in the mountain had said. “I may as well say that as anything,” said John. “Perhaps your dream may come true; still I will say farewell, for if I guess wrong I shall never see you again.” Then they embraced each other, and John went into the town and walked to the palace. The great hall was full of people, and the judges sat in arm-chairs, with eider-down cushions to rest their heads upon, because they had so much to think of. The old king stood near, wiping his eyes with his white pocket-handkerchief. When the princess entered, she looked even more beautiful than she had appeared the day before, and greeted every one present most gracefully; but to John she gave her hand, and said, “Good morning to you.” Now came the time for John to guess what she was thinking of; and oh, how kindly she looked at him as she spoke. But when he uttered the single word shoe, she turned as pale as a ghost; all her wisdom could not help her, for he had guessed rightly. Oh, how pleased the old king was! It was quite amusing to see how he capered about. All the people clapped their hands, both on his account and John’s, who had guessed rightly the first time. His fellow-traveller was glad also, when he heard how successful John had been. But John folded his hands, and thanked God, who, he felt quite sure, would help him again; and he knew he had to guess twice more. The evening passed pleasantly like the one preceding. While John slept, his companion flew behind the princess to the mountain, and flogged her even harder than before; this time he had taken two rods with him. No one saw him go in with her, and he heard all that was said. The princess this time was to think of a glove, and he told John as if he had again heard it in a dream. The next day, therefore, he was able to guess correctly the second time, and it caused great rejoicing at the palace. The whole court jumped about as they had seen the king do the day before, but the princess lay on the sofa, and would not say a single word. All now depended upon John. If he only guessed rightly the third time, he would marry the princess, and reign over the kingdom after the death of the old king: but if he failed, he would lose his life, and the magician would have his beautiful blue eyes. That evening John said his prayers and went to bed very early, and soon fell asleep calmly. But his companion tied on his wings to his shoulders, took three rods, and, with his sword at his side, flew to the palace. It was a very dark night, and so stormy that the tiles flew from the roofs of the houses, and the trees in the garden upon which the skeletons hung bent themselves like reeds before the wind. The lightning flashed, and the thunder rolled in one long-continued peal all night. The window of the castle opened, and the princess flew out. She was pale as death, but she laughed at the storm as if it were not bad enough. Her white mantle fluttered in the wind like a large sail, and the traveller flogged her with the three rods till the blood trickled down, and at last she could scarcely fly; she contrived, however, to reach the mountain. “What a hail-storm!” she said, as she entered; “I have never been out in such weather as this.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—11
“Yes, there may be too much of a good thing sometimes,” said the magician. Then the princess told him that John had guessed rightly the second time, and if he succeeded the next morning, he would win, and she could never come to the mountain again, or practice magic as she had done, and therefore she was quite unhappy. “I will find out something for you to think of which he will never guess, unless he is a greater conjuror than myself. But now let us be merry.” Then he took the princess by both hands, and they danced with all the little goblins and Jacko’-lanterns in the room. The red spiders sprang here and there on the walls quite as merrily, and the flowers of fire appeared as if they were throwing out sparks. The owl beat the drum, the crickets whistled and the grasshoppers played the mouth-organ. It was a very ridiculous ball. After they had danced enough, the princess was obliged to go home, for fear she should be missed at the palace. The magician offered to go with her, that they might be company to each other on the way. Then they flew away through the bad weather, and the traveller followed them, and broke his three rods across their shoulders. The magician had never been out in such a hail-storm as this. Just by the palace the magician stopped to wish the princess farewell, and to whisper in her ear, “To-morrow think of my head.” But the traveller heard it, and just as the princess slipped through the window into her bedroom, and the magician turned round to fly back to the mountain, he seized him by the long black beard, and with his sabre cut off the wicked conjuror’s head just behind the shoulders, so that he could not even see who it was. He threw the body into the sea to the fishes, and after dipping the head into the water, he tied it up in a silk handkerchief, took it with him to the inn, and then went to bed. The next morning he gave John the handkerchief, and told him not to untie it till the princess asked him what she was thinking of. There were so many people in the great hall of the palace that they stood as thick as radishes tied together in a bundle. The council sat in their arm-chairs with the white cushions. The old king wore new robes, and the golden crown and sceptre had been polished up so that he looked quite smart. But the princess was very pale, and wore a black dress as if she were going to a funeral. “What have I thought of?” asked the princess, of John. He immediately untied the handkerchief, and was himself quite frightened when he saw the head of the ugly magician. Every one shuddered, for it was terrible to look at; but the princess sat like a statue, and could not utter a single word. At length she rose and gave John her hand, for he had guessed rightly. She looked at no one, but sighed deeply, and said, “You are my master now; this evening our marriage must take place.” “I am very pleased to hear it,” said the old king. “It is just what I wish.” Then all the people shouted “Hurrah.” The band played music in the streets, the bells rang, and the cake-women took the black crape off the sugar-sticks. There was universal joy. Three oxen, stuffed with ducks and chickens, were roasted whole in the market-place, where every one might help himself to a slice. The fountains spouted forth the most delicious wine, and whoever bought a penny loaf at the baker’s received six large buns, full of raisins, as a present. In the evening the
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 5—12
whole town was illuminated. The soldiers fired off cannons, and the boys let off crackers. There was eating and drinking, dancing and jumping everywhere. In the palace, the high-born gentlemen and beautiful ladies danced with each other, and they could be heard at a great distance singing the following song:— Here are maidens, young and fair, Dancing in the summer air; Like two spinning-wheels at play, Pretty maidens dance awayDance the spring and summer through Till the sole falls from your shoe.” But the princess was still a witch, and she could not love John. His fellow-traveller had thought of that, so he gave John three feathers out of the swan’s wings, and a little bottle with a few drops in it. He told him to place a large bath full of water by the princess’s bed, and put the feathers and the drops into it. Then, at the moment she was about to get into bed, he must give her a little push, so that she might fall into the water, and then dip her three times. This would destroy the power of the magician, and she would love him very much. John did all that his companion told him to do. The princess shrieked aloud when he dipped her under the water the first time, and struggled under his hands in the form of a great black swan with fiery eyes. As she rose the second time from the water, the swan had become white, with a black ring round its neck. John allowed the water to close once more over the bird, and at the same time it changed into a most beautiful princess. She was more lovely even than before, and thanked him, while her eyes sparkled with tears, for having broken the spell of the magician. The next day, the king came with the whole court to offer their congratulations, and stayed till quite late. Last of all came the travelling companion; he had his staff in his hand and his knapsack on his back. John kissed him many times and told him he must not go, he must remain with him, for he was the cause of all his good fortune. But the traveller shook his head, and said gently and kindly, “No: my time is up now; I have only paid my debt to you. Do you remember the dead man whom the bad people wished to throw out of his coffin? You gave all you possessed that he might rest in his grave; I am that man.” As he said this, he vanished. The wedding festivities lasted a whole month. John and his princess loved each other dearly, and the old king lived to see many a happy day, when he took their little children on his knees and let them play with his sceptre. And John became king over the whole country.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 6—1
Lesson 6
The Elements of Fiction: Part 3
Objective: The student will be able to identify and understand setting as an element of fiction. Key Vocabulary: Setting, Sights, Sounds, Colors, Textures Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selections: The Happy Family by Hans Christian Anderson (Lesson 4) and The Traveling Companion by Hans Christian Anderson (Lesson 5) Engage: Engaging Question: Where is your favorite place in the world? Describe this place by using the five senses… what does it smell like, taste like, look like, sound like, feel like? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin the Lesson by explaining to the student that the Engaging Question relates to the setting of a story, which is the time and place in which the story takes place and is created by language. In this Lesson, the student will revisit the two stories read in Lessons 4 and 5 and determine the setting of each of these stories. Ask the student how he or she uncovered the setting by the words or phrases that are used to describe the setting. To assess the student’s understanding, give the student a copy of the “Discovering Setting” activity. Ask the student to complete this activity for practice working with setting. Discovering Setting Answer Key: Student answers will vary in length and depth of description; check each to verify the student has captured the essence of each image as outlined below: Picture 1: Picture 2: Picture 3: Picture 4: Picture 5:
A waterfront, mountainside castle, cathedral, building A baseball stadium at dusk, either before or after a game has been played An underwater scene of a scuba diver A tropical outdoor theatre, restaurant, venue A waterfront, wooded campsite
Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to discuss how the setting of the story affects the actual storyline.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 6—1
Lesson 6
The Elements of Fiction: Part 3
Where is your favorite place in the world? Describe this place by using the five senses… what does it smell like, taste like, look like, sound like, feel like? You have just described a particular setting which you value and where you enjoy spending time. Remember that the setting in a story is the time and place in which the story takes place. Setting in a story is created by language. The setting is the location for a story’s actions, along with the time in which it occurs. Writers describe the world they know using: Sights Sounds Colors Textures Go back to the two stories read during Lessons 4 and 5 and identify the setting of each of these stories. Explain how you uncovered the setting by the words or phrases that are used to describe the setting. Include those words and phrases in your response. Now complete the Discovering Setting Worksheet for practice working with setting. Lesson Wrap-Up: How does the setting of the story affect the actual storyline
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 6—2
Discovering Setting Directions: Examine each of the pictures below and describe the setting in each picture as you feel it is being portrayed. Picture 1:
Picture 2:
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Picture 3:
Picture 4:
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 6—3
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Picture 5:
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 6—4
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 7—1
Lesson 7
The Elements of Fiction: Part 4 The Last Dream of the Old Oak by Hans Christian Anderson
Objective: The student will be able to understand and identify the theme of a story as an element of fiction. Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Last Dream of the Old Oak by Hans Christian Anderson Engage: Engaging Question: What is the most important life Lesson you have learned and why? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In today’s Lesson the student will examine the final element of fiction: Theme. Explain the following features of Theme: Theme is the main idea or moral of a story. The theme of a work of fiction conveys a particular view of life and how people behave. The theme is a very intentional component on the part of the author and it is often up to the reader to figure it out. Theme is extracted from the characters, action, and setting that make up a story. Theme is the overall idea the story seems to present to the reader. The student will then read a short story, The Last Dream of the Old Oak, and focus on determining its theme. Lesson Wrap-Up: After reading this story, the student should answer the following questions—either in her Writing journal or in a discussion. What is the basic plot of the story? Tell something you have uncovered about these three elements while reading the story: characters setting theme Does this story have a moral message? If so, what is it?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 7—1
Lesson 7
The Elements of Fiction: Part 4 The Last Dream of the Old Oak by Hans Christian Anderson
What is the most important life lesson you have learned and why? In today’s Lesson you will learn the final element of fiction: Theme. Theme is the main idea or moral of a story. This is much like the important life lesson you wrote about in your journal. The theme of a work of fiction conveys a particular view of life and how people behave. The theme is a very intentional component on the part of the author and it is often up to the reader to figure out the theme. The theme is extracted from the characters, action, and setting that make up a story. It is the overall idea the story seems to present to the reader. You will read the following short story and answer the Lesson Wrap-Up questions below. The questions will ask you to identify the three elements of fiction- characters, setting, and theme. Lesson Wrap-Up: What is the basic plot of the story? Tell something you uncovered about these three elements while reading the story: Characters Setting Theme Does this story have a moral message? If so, what is it?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 7—2
The Last Dream of the Old Oak E\+DQV&KULVWLDQ$QGHUVHQ
In the forest, high up on the steep shore, and not far from the open seacoast, stood a very old oak-tree. It was just three hundred and sixty-five years old, but that long time was to the tree as the same number of days might be to us; we wake by day and sleep by night, and then we have our dreams. It is different with the tree; it is obliged to keep awake through three seasons of the year, and does not get any sleep till winter comes. Winter is its time for rest; its night after the long day of spring, summer, and autumn. On many a warm summer, the Ephemera, the flies that exist for only a day, had fluttered about the old oak, enjoyed life and felt happy and if, for a moment, one of the tiny creatures rested on one of his large fresh leaves, the tree would always say, “Poor little creature! your whole life consists only of a single day. How very short. It must be quite melancholy.” “Melancholy! what do you mean?” the little creature would always reply. “Everything around me is so wonderfully bright and warm, and beautiful, that it makes me joyous.” “But only for one day, and then it is all over.” “Over!” repeated the fly; “what is the meaning of all over? Are you all over too?” “No; I shall very likely live for thousands of your days, and my day is whole seasons long; indeed it is so long that you could never reckon it out.” “No? then I don’t understand you. You may have thousands of my days, but I have thousands of moments in which I can be merry and happy. Does all the beauty of the world cease when you die?” “No,” replied the tree; “it will certainly last much longer,—infinitely longer than I can even think of.” “Well, then,” said the little fly, “we have the same time to live; only we reckon differently.” And the little creature danced and floated in the air, rejoicing in her delicate wings of gauze and velvet, rejoicing in the balmy breezes, laden with the fragrance of clover-fields and wild roses, elderblossoms and honeysuckle, from the garden hedges, wild thyme, primroses, and mint, and the scent of all these was so strong that the perfume almost intoxicated the little fly. The long and beautiful day had been so full of joy and sweet delights, that when the sun sank low it felt tired of all its happiness and enjoyment. Its wings could sustain it no longer, and gently and slowly it glided down upon the soft waving blades of grass, nodded its little head as well as it could nod, and slept peacefully and sweetly. The fly was dead. “Poor little Ephemera!” said the oak; “what a terribly short life!” And so, on every summer day the dance was repeated, the same questions asked, and the same answers given. The same thing was continued through many generations of Ephemera; all of them felt equally merry and equally happy. The oak remained awake through the morning of spring, the noon of summer, and the evening of autumn; its time of rest, its night drew nigh—winter was coming. Already the storms were
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 7—3
singing, “Good-night, good-night.” Here fell a leaf and there fell a leaf. “We will rock you and lull you. Go to sleep, go to sleep. We will sing you to sleep, and shake you to sleep, and it will do your old twigs good; they will even crackle with pleasure. Sleep sweetly, sleep sweetly, it is your threehundred-and-sixty-fifth night. Correctly speaking, you are but a youngster in the world. Sleep sweetly, the clouds will drop snow upon you, which will be quite a cover-lid, warm and sheltering to your feet. Sweet sleep to you, and pleasant dreams.” And there stood the oak, stripped of all its leaves, left to rest during the whole of a long winter, and to dream many dreams of events that had happened in its life, as in the dreams of men. The great tree had once been small; indeed, in its cradle it had been an acorn. According to human computation, it was now in the fourth century of its existence. It was the largest and best tree in the forest. Its summit towered above all the other trees, and could be seen far out at sea, so that it served as a landmark to the sailors. It had no idea how many eyes looked eagerly for it. In its topmost branches the wood-pigeon built her nest, and the cuckoo carried out his usual vocal performances, and his well-known notes echoed amid the boughs; and in autumn, when the leaves looked like beaten copper plates, the birds of passage would come and rest upon the branches before taking their flight across the sea. But now it was winter, the tree stood leafless, so that every one could see how crooked and bent were the branches that sprang forth from the trunk. Crows and rooks came by turns and sat on them, and talked of the hard times which were beginning, and how difficult it was in winter to obtain food. It was just about holy Christmas time that the tree dreamed a dream. The tree had, doubtless, a kind of feeling that the festive time had arrived, and in his dream fancied he heard the bells ringing from all the churches round, and yet it seemed to him to be a beautiful summer’s day, mild and warm. His mighty summits was crowned with spreading fresh green foliage; the sunbeams played among the leaves and branches, and the air was full of fragrance from herb and blossom; painted butterflies chased each other; the summer flies danced around him, as if the world had been created merely for them to dance and be merry in. All that had happened to the tree during every year of his life seemed to pass before him, as in a festive procession. He saw the knights of olden times and noble ladies ride by through the wood on their gallant steeds, with plumes waving in their hats, and falcons on their wrists. The hunting horn sounded, and the dogs barked. He saw hostile warriors, in colored dresses and glittering armor, with spear and halberd, pitching their tents, and anon striking them. The watchfires again blazed, and men sang and slept under the hospitable shelter of the tree. He saw lovers meet in quiet happiness near him in the moonshine, and carve the initials of their names in the grayish-green bark on his trunk. Once, but long years had intervened since then, guitars and Eolian harps had been hung on his boughs by merry travellers; now they seemed to hang there again, and he could hear their marvellous tones. The wood-pigeons cooed as if to explain the feelings of the tree, and the cuckoo called out to tell him how many summer days he had yet to live. Then it seemed as if new life was thrilling through every fibre of root and stem and leaf, rising even to the highest branches. The tree felt itself stretching and spreading out, while through the root beneath the earth ran the warm vigor of life. As he grew higher and still higher, with increased strength, his topmost boughs became broader and fuller; and in proportion to his growth, so was his self-satisfaction increased, and with it arose a joyous longing to grow higher and higher, to reach even to the warm, bright sun itself. Already had his topmost branches pierced the clouds, which floated beneath them like troops of birds of passage, or large white swans; every leaf seemed gifted with sight, as if it possessed eyes to see. The stars became visible in broad daylight, large and sparkling, like clear and gentle eyes. They recalled to the memory the well-known look in the eyes of a child, or in the eyes of lovers who had once met beneath the branches of the old oak.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 7—4
These were wonderful and happy moments for the old tree, full of peace and joy; and yet, amidst all this happiness, the tree felt a yearning, longing desire that all the other trees, bushes, herbs, and flowers beneath him, might be able also to rise higher, as he had done, and to see all this splendor, and experience the same happiness. The grand, majestic oak could not be quite happy in the midst of his enjoyment, while all the rest, both great and small, were not with him. And this feeling of yearning trembled through every branch, through every leaf, as warmly and fervently as if they had been the fibres of a human heart. The summit of the tree waved to and fro, and bent downwards as if in his silent longing he sought for something. Then there came to him the fragrance of thyme, followed by the more powerful scent of honeysuckle and violets; and he fancied he heard the note of the cuckoo. At length his longing was satisfied. Up through the clouds came the green summits of the forest trees, and beneath him, the oak saw them rising, and growing higher and higher. Bush and herb shot upward, and some even tore themselves up by the roots to rise more quickly. The birch-tree was the quickest of all. Like a lightning flash the slender stem shot upwards in a zigzag line, the branches spreading around it like green gauze and banners. Every native of the wood, even to the brown and feathery rushes, grew with the rest, while the birds ascended with the melody of song. On a blade of grass, that fluttered in the air like a long, green ribbon, sat a grasshopper, cleaning his wings with his legs. May beetles hummed, the bees murmured, the birds sang, each in his own way; the air was filled with the sounds of song and gladness. “But where is the little blue flower that grows by the water?” asked the oak, “and the purple bellflower, and the daisy?” You see the oak wanted to have them all with him. “Here we are, we are here,” sounded in voice and song. “But the beautiful thyme of last summer, where is that? and the lilies-of-the-valley, which last year covered the earth with their bloom? and the wild apple-tree with its lovely blossoms, and all the glory of the wood, which has flourished year after year? even what may have but now sprouted forth could be with us here.” “We are here, we are here,” sounded voices higher in the air, as if they had flown there beforehand. “Why this is beautiful, too beautiful to be believed,” said the oak in a joyful tone. “I have them all here, both great and small; not one has been forgotten. Can such happiness be imagined?” It seemed almost impossible. “In heaven with the Eternal God, it can be imagined, and it is possible,” sounded the reply through the air. And the old tree, as it still grew upwards and onwards, felt that his roots were loosening themselves from the earth. “It is right so, it is best,” said the tree, “no fetters hold me now. I can fly up to the very highest point in light and glory. And all I love are with me, both small and great. All—all are here.” Such was the dream of the old oak: and while he dreamed, a mighty storm came rushing over land and sea, at the holy Christmas time. The sea rolled in great billows towards the shore. There was a cracking and crushing heard in the tree. The root was torn from the ground just at the moment
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 7—5
when in his dream he fancied it was being loosened from the earth. He fell—his three hundred and sixty-five years were passed as the single day of the Ephemera. On the morning of Christmasday, when the sun rose, the storm had ceased. From all the churches sounded the festive bells, and from every hearth, even of the smallest hut, rose the smoke into the blue sky, like the smoke from the festive thank-offerings on the Druids’ altars. The sea gradually became calm, and on board a great ship that had withstood the tempest during the night, all the flags were displayed, as a token of joy and festivity. “The tree is down! The old oak,—our landmark on the coast!” exclaimed the sailors. “It must have fallen in the storm of last night. Who can replace it? Alas! no one.” This was a funeral oration over the old tree; short, but well-meant. There it lay stretched on the snow-covered shore, and over it sounded the notes of a song from the ship—a song of Christmas joy, and of the redemption of the soul of man, and of eternal life through Christ’s atoning blood. “Sing aloud on the happy morn, All is fulfilled, for Christ is born; With songs of joy let us loudly sing, ‘Hallelujahs to Christ our King.’” Thus sounded the old Christmas carol, and every one on board the ship felt his thoughts elevated, through the song and the prayer, even as the old tree had felt lifted up in its last, its beautiful dream on that Christmas morn.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 8—1
Lesson 8
Identifying the Elements of Fiction Little Red Riding Hood (Little Red Cap) by Brothers Grimm
Objective: The student will be able to apply his understanding of elements of fiction to a short story. Key Vocabulary: Denouement, Setting, Rising Action, Climax Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selections: Little Red Riding Hood (Little Red Cap) by Brothers Grimm and Four Frogs by unknown author (Aesop’s Fables) Engage: Engaging Question: Have you ever been surprised by something that happened in a story that you didn’t expect? Describe one instance that you can remember. Additional Notes to the Teacher: To begin this Lesson, have the student read the story Four Frogs and answer the following questions in his journal: What is the story’s setting? What is the rising action of the story? What is the climax of the story? What are the events leading to the conclusion of the story? Explain that this is the meaning of denouement. You will then review the elements of fiction that were covered in the previous Lessons. If needed, have the student refer to these Lessons for notes. Finally, have students read Little Red Riding Hood. The Lesson Wrap-Up is an assessment of the reading to determine the student’s understanding of the material. Lesson Wrap-Up and Answer Key: What is a general plot of this story? List and explain each piece of the plot (exposition, complication, climax, and resolution) Little Red Riding Hood is supposed to bring food to her grandmother. This can be considered the exposition. The complication arises when Little Red Riding Hood meets the Wolf in the woods and he suggests that she pick flowers. Little Red Riding Hood gets distracted doing this instead of bringing her Grandmother food. The climax of the story is when the Wolf eats the Grandmother and Little Red Riding Hood. The resolution comes when the huntsman cuts the two out of the Wolf’s stomach and fills it with rocks causing the Wolf to die.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 8—2
Who are the characters in the story? Identify these characters as major or minor, and list some of their traits. Little Red-Riding Hood (major) Her characteristics are that she is curious, gullible and sometimes disobedient. Wolf (major) The wolf is cunning, deceitful, and evil natured. Grandmother (minor) The grandmother is weak and frail physically but strong mentally. Huntman (minor) He is noble and brave. What is the setting of the story? How do you know this? List some of the words or phrases that indicate this setting. The story takes place in the woods a long time ago. The phrase “Once upon a time” indicates the time period. The location of the story appears in the text several times including: “A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood; her house stands under the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just below…” The story also takes place in the Grandmother’s cottage in the woods. What is the theme of the story? The theme of the story is a Lesson for young children. The moral of the tale is to always listen to your mother. If Little Red Riding Hood had listened to her mother she would not have been distracted picking flowers and therefore the wolf would not have eaten her grandmother and then her. The other part of the Lesson is not to talk to strangers and certainly not to listen to what they say. The wolf represents that strangers can sometimes be bad people.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 8—1
Lesson 8
Identifying the Elements of Fiction Little Red Riding Hood (Little Red Cap) by Brothers Grimm
Have you ever been surprised by something that happened in a story that you didn’t expect? Describe one instance that you can remember. Read the story about frogs below and respond to the questions that follow in your journal
Four Frogs author unknown (Aesop’s Fables) “A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time. In your journal, answer the following questions and then discuss them with your teacher: What is the story’s setting? What is the rising action of the story? What is the climax of the story? What are the events leading to the conclusion of the story (the denouement)? Today, you will review the elements of fiction. If necessary, refer back to the previous Lessons for these notes. To demonstrate your understanding of the elements of fiction, you will read Little Red Riding Hood and answer questions about plot, setting, characters, and theme as you work through the story. Lesson Wrap Up: Write the answers to the following questions pertaining to Little Red Riding Hood below as indicated.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 8—2
The Elements of Fiction in Little Red Riding Hood What is a general plot of Little Red Riding Hood? List and explain each piece of the plot (exposition, complication, climax, and resolution)
Who are the characters in the story? Identify these characters as major or minor, and list some of their traits.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 8—3
What is the setting of the story? How do you know this? List some of the words or phrases that indicate this setting.
STUDENT MANUAL
What is the theme of the story?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 8—4
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 8—5
Little Red Riding Hood (Little Red Cap) Brothers Grimm Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by everyone who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a little riding hood of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear anything else; so she was always called ‘Little Red Riding Hood.’ One day her mother said to her: ‘Come, Little Red Riding Hood, here is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine; take them to your grandmother, she is ill and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets hot, and when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, or you may fall and break the bottle, and then your g randmother w ill get nothing; and when you go into her room, don’t forget to say, “Good morning”, and don’t peep into every corner before you do it.’ ‘I will take great care,’ said Little Red Riding Hood to her mother, and gave her hand on it. The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, and just as Little Red Riding Hood entered the wood, a wolf met her. Red Riding Hood did not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him. ‘Good day, Little Red Riding Hood,’ said he. ‘Thank you kindly, wolf.’ ‘Whither away so early, Little Red Riding Hood?’ ‘To my grandmother’s.’ ‘What have you got in your apron?’ ‘Cake and wine; yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger.’ ‘Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Riding Hood?’ ‘A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood; her house stands under the three large oak-
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 8—6
trees, the nut-trees are just below; you surely must know it,’ replied Little Red Riding Hood. The wolf thought to himself: ‘What a tender young creature! what a nice plump mouthful—she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both.’ So he walked for a short time by the side of Little Red Riding Hood, and then he said: ‘See, Little Red Riding Hood, how pretty the flowers are about here—why do you not look round? I believe, too, that you do not hear how sweetly the little birds are singing; you walk gravely along as if you were going to school, while everything else out here in the wood is merry.’ Little Red Riding Hood raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunbeams dancing here and there through the trees, and pretty flowers growing everywhere, she thought: ‘Suppose I take grandmother a fresh nosegay; that would please her too. It is so early in the day that I shall still get there in good time.’ So she ran from the path into the wood to look for flowers. And whenever she had picked one, she fancied that she saw a still prettier one farther on, and ran after it, and so got deeper and deeper into the wood. Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother’s house and knocked at the door. ‘Who is there?’ ‘Little Red Riding Hood,’ replied the wolf. ‘She is bringing cake and wine; open the door.’ ‘Lift the latch,’ called out the grandmother, ‘I am too weak, and cannot get up.’ The wolf lifted the latch, the door sprang open, and without saying a word he went straight to the grandmother’s bed, and devoured her. Then he put on her clothes, dressed himself in her cap, laid himself in bed and drew the curtains. Little Red Riding Hood, however, had been running about picking flowers, and when she had gathered so many that she could carry no more, she remembered her grandmother, and set out on the way to her. She was surprised to find the cottage-door standing open, and when she went into the room, she had such a strange feeling that she said to herself: ‘Oh dear! how uneasy I feel today, and at other times I like being with grandmother so much.’ She called out: ‘Good morning,’ but received no answer; so she went to the bed and drew back the curtains. There lay her grandmother with her cap pulled far over her face, and looking very strange. ‘Oh! grandmother,’ she said, ‘what big ears you have!’ ‘All the better to hear you with, my child,’ was the reply. ‘But, grandmother, what big eyes you have!’ she said.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 8—7
‘All the better to see you with, my dear.’ ‘But, grandmother, what large hands you have!’ ‘All the better to hug you with.’ ‘Oh! but, grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have!’ ‘All the better to eat you with!’ And scarcely had the wolf said this, than with one bound he was out of bed and swallowed up Red Riding Hood. When the wolf had appeased his appetite, he lay down again in the bed, fell asleep and began to snore very loud. The huntsman was just passing the house, and thought to himself: ‘How the old woman is snoring! I must just see if she wants anything.’ So he went into the room, and when he came to the bed, he saw that the wolf was lying in it. ‘Do I find you here, you old sinner!’ said he. ‘I have long sought you!’ But just as he was going to fire at him, it occurred to him that the wolf might have devoured the grandmother, and that she might still be saved, so he did not fire, but took a pair of scissors, and began to cut open the stomach of the sleeping wolf. When he had made two snips, he saw the little red riding hood shining, and then he made two snips more, and the little girl sprang out, crying: ‘Ah, how frightened I have been! How dark it was inside the wolf.’ After that the aged grandmother came out alive also, but scarcely able to breathe. Red Riding Hood, however, quickly fetched great stones with which they filled the wolf ’s belly, and when he awoke, he wanted to run away, but the stones were so heavy that he collapsed at once, and fell dead. Then all three were delighted. The huntsman drew off the wolf ’s skin and went home with it; the grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine which Red Riding Hood had brought, and revived. But Red Riding Hood thought to herself: ‘As long as I live, I will never leave the path by myself to run into the wood, when my mother has forbidden me to do so.’ It is also related that once, when Red Riding Hood was again taking cakes to the old grandmother, another wolf spoke to her, and tried to entice her from the path. Red Riding Hood, however, was on her guard, and went straight forward on her way, and told her grandmother that she had met the wolf, and that he had said ‘good morning’ to her, but with such a wicked look in his eyes, that if they had not been on the public road she was certain he would have eaten her up. ‘Well,’ said the grandmother, ‘we will shut the door, so that he can not come in.’
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 8—8
Soon afterwards the wolf knocked, and cried: ‘Open the door, grandmother, I am Little Red Riding Hood, and am bringing you some cakes.’ But they did not speak, or open the door, so the grey-beard stole twice or thrice round the house, and at last jumped on the roof, intending to wait until Red Riding Hood went home in the evening, and then to steal after her and devour her in the darkness. But the grandmother saw what was in his thoughts. In front of the house was a great stone trough, so she said to the child: ‘Take the pail, Red Riding Hood; I made some sausages yesterday, so carry the water in which I boiled them to the trough.’ Red Riding Hood carried until the great trough was quite full. Then the smell of the sausages reached the wolf, and he sniffed and peeped down, and at last stretched out his neck so far that he could no longer keep his footing and began to slip, and slipped down from the roof straight into the great trough, and was drowned. But Red Riding Hood went joyously home, and no one ever did anything to harm her again.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—1
Lesson 9
Point of View: Part 1 An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
Objective: The student will be able to identify the narrator’s point of view in a short story. Key Vocabulary: Point of view, Objective point of view, Omniscient point of view, First person point of view, Third person point of view, Limited omniscient point of view Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce Engage: Engaging Question: Name a movie that you have seen where there is a narrator speaking throughout the movie. How does this narration affect your understanding of or interest in the movie? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Once the student has responded to the Engaging Question, introduce the following elements of Point of view: In short fiction, the author must decide who tells the story and how it is told. The tone and feel of the story, as well as the meaning, can change radically depending on who is telling the story. Someone is always between the reader and the action of the story. This person is telling the story from his or her own point of view. Point of view is the angle of vision from which the people, events, and details of a story are viewed. There are several types of point of view, among them: Objective The writer tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story’s action and dialogue. The narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—2
Third person The narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters. The narrator lets the reader know how the characters feel. The reader learns about the characters through this outside voice. First person The narrator does participate in the action of the story. Often, what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. Readers should question the trustworthiness of the accounting of the narrator. Omniscient The narrator knows everything about all the characters and is all-knowing. Limited Omniscient The narrator’s knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor. The student will then read An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. After the student has read the first two sections, pause to discuss with the student the point of view from which the story is told. Then, have student read the third section. Lesson Wrap-Up: Did you figure out the point of view in the story after you finished reading the first two sections? How did you determine this?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—1
Lesson 9
Point of View: Part 1 An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
Name a movie that you have seen where there is a narrator speaking throughout the movie. How does this narration affect your understanding of the movie? The narrator for the movie you described had a particular “point of view”. This is also known as a person’s perspective. It is easy to understand how a particular person’s point of view or perspective affects the way in which they interpret the things they see. Today’s Lesson is an introduction to point of view: In short fiction, the author must decide who tells the story and how it is told. The tone and feel of the story, as well as the meaning, can change radically depending on who is telling the story. Someone is always between the reader and the action of the story. This person is telling the story from his or her own point of view. Point of view is the angle of vision from which the people, events, and details of a story are viewed. There are several types of point of view: Objective The writer tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story’s action and dialogue. The narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer. Third person The narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters. The narrator lets the reader know how the characters feel. The reader learns about the characters through this outside voice.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—2
First person The narrator does participate in the action of the story. Often, what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. Readers should question the trustworthiness of the accounting of the narrator. Omniscient The narrator knows everything about all the characters and is all-knowing. Limited Omniscient The narrator’s knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor. As you read Ambrose Bierce’s An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, examine the point of view as it changes throughout the story. Read the first two sections of the story aloud. Before continuing to read the rest of the story, you will discuss the point of view of the first two sections with your teacher. Lesson Wrap-Up: Did you figure out the point of view in the story after you finished reading the first two sections? How did you determine this?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—3
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge %\$PEURVH%LHUFH
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A man stood upon a railroad bridge in northern Alabama, looking down into the swift water twenty feet below. The man’s hands were behind his back, the wrists bound with a cord. A rope closely encircled his neck. It was attached to a stout cross-timber above his head and the slack fell to the level of his knees. Some loose boards laid upon the ties supporting the rails of the railway supplied a footing for him and his executioners—two private soldiers of the Federal army, directed by a sergeant who in civil life may have been a deputy sheriff. At a short remove upon the same temporary platform was an officer in the uniform of his rank, armed. He was a captain. A sentinel at each end of the bridge stood with his rifle in the position known as “support,” that is to say, vertical in front of the left shoulder, the hammer resting on the forearm thrown straight across the chest—a formal and unnatural position, enforcing an erect carriage of the body. It did not appear to be the duty of these two men to know what was occurring at the center of the bridge; they merely blockaded the two ends of the foot planking that traversed it. Beyond one of the sentinels nobody was in sight; the railroad ran straight away into a forest for a hundred yards, then, curving, was lost to view. Doubtless there was an outpost farther along. The other bank of the stream was open ground—a gentle slope topped with a stockade of vertical tree trunks, loopholed for rifles, with a single embrasure through which protruded the muzzle of a brass cannon commanding the bridge. Midway up the slope between the bridge and fort were the spectators—a single company of infantry in line, at “parade rest,” the butts of their rifles on the
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—4
ground, the barrels inclining slightly backward against the right shoulder, the hands crossed upon the stock. A lieutenant stood at the right of the line, the point of his sword upon the ground, his left hand resting upon his right. Excepting the group of four at the center of the bridge, not a man moved. The company faced the bridge, staring stonily, motionless. The sentinels, facing the banks of the stream, might have been statues to adorn the bridge. The captain stood with folded arms, silent, observing the work of his subordinates, but making no sign. Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him. In the code of military etiquette silence and fixity are forms of deference. The man who was engaged in being hanged was apparently about thirty-five years of age. He was a civilian, if one might judge from his habit, which was that of a planter. His features were good—a straight nose, firm mouth, broad forehead, from which his long, dark hair was combed straight back, falling behind his ears to the collar of his well fitting frock coat. He wore a moustache and pointed beard, but no whiskers; his eyes were large and dark gray, and had a kindly expression which one would hardly have expected in one whose neck was in the hemp. Evidently this was no vulgar assassin. The liberal military code makes provision for hanging many kinds of persons, and gentlemen are not excluded. The preparations being complete, the two private soldiers stepped aside and each drew away the plank upon which he had been standing. The sergeant turned to the captain, saluted and placed himself immediately behind that officer, who in turn moved apart one pace. These movements left the condemned man and the sergeant standing on the two ends of the same plank, which spanned three of the cross-ties of the bridge. The end upon which the civilian stood almost, but not quite, reached a fourth. This plank had been held in place by the weight of the captain; it was now held by that of the sergeant. At a signal from the former the latter would step aside, the plank would tilt and the condemned man go down between two ties. The arrangement commended itself to his judgement as simple and effective. His face had not been covered nor his eyes bandaged. He looked a moment at his “unsteadfast footing,” then let his gaze wander to the swirling water of the stream racing madly beneath his feet. A piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current. How slowly it appeared to move! What a sluggish stream! He closed his eyes in order to fix his last thoughts upon his wife and children. The water, touched to gold by the early sun, the brooding mists under the banks at some distance down the stream, the fort, the soldiers, the piece of drift—all had distracted him. And now he became conscious of a new disturbance. Striking through the thought of his dear ones was sound which he could neither ignore nor understand, a sharp, distinct, metallic percussion like the stroke of a blacksmith’s hammer upon the anvil; it had the same ringing quality. He wondered what it was, and whether immeasurably distant or near by—it seemed both. Its recurrence was regular, but as slow as the tolling of a death knell. He awaited each new stroke with impatience and—he knew not why—apprehension. The intervals of silence grew progressively longer; the delays became maddening. With their greater infrequency the sounds increased in strength and sharpness. They hurt his ear like the trust of a knife; he feared he would shriek. What he heard was the ticking of his watch. He unclosed his eyes and saw again the water below him. “If I could free my hands,” he thought,
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—5
“I might throw off the noose and spring into the stream. By diving I could evade the bullets and, swimming vigorously, reach the bank, take to the woods and get away home. My home, thank God, is as yet outside their lines; my wife and little ones are still beyond the invader’s farthest advance.” As these thoughts, which have here to be set down in words, were flashed into the doomed man’s brain rather than evolved from it the captain nodded to the sergeant. The sergeant stepped aside. ,, Peyton Farquhar was a well-to-do planter, of an old and highly respected Alabama family. Being a slave owner and like other slave owners a politician, he was naturally an original secessionist and ardently devoted to the Southern cause. Circumstances of an imperious nature, which it is unnecessary to relate here, had prevented him from taking service with that gallant army which had fought the disastrous campaigns ending with the fall of Corinth, and he chafed under the inglorious restraint, longing for the release of his energies, the larger life of the soldier, the opportunity for distinction. That opportunity, he felt, would come, as it comes to all in wartime. Meanwhile he did what he could. No service was too humble for him to perform in the aid of the South, no adventure to perilous for him to undertake if consistent with the character of a civilian who was at heart a soldier, and who in good faith and without too much qualification assented to at least a part of the frankly villainous dictum that all is fair in love and war. One evening while Farquhar and his wife were sitting on a rustic bench near the entrance to his grounds, a gray-clad soldier rode up to the gate and asked for a drink of water. Mrs. Farquhar was only too happy to serve him with her own white hands. While she was fetching the water her husband approached the dusty horseman and inquired eagerly for news from the front. “The Yanks are repairing the railroads,” said the man, “and are getting ready for another advance. They have reached the Owl Creek bridge, put it in order and built a stockade on the north bank. The commandant has issued an order, which is posted everywhere, declaring that any civilian caught interfering with the railroad, its bridges, tunnels, or trains will be summarily hanged. I saw the order.” “How far is it to the Owl Creek bridge?” Farquhar asked. “About thirty miles.” “Is there no force on this side of the creek?” “Only a picket post half a mile out, on the railroad, and a single sentinel at this end of the bridge.” “Suppose a man—a civilian and student of hanging—should elude the picket post and perhaps get the better of the sentinel,” said Farquhar, smiling, “what could he accomplish?” The soldier reflected. “I was there a month ago,” he replied. “I observed that the flood of last
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—6
winter had lodged a great quantity of driftwood against the wooden pier at this end of the bridge. It is now dry and would burn like tinder.” The lady had now brought the water, which the soldier drank. He thanked her ceremoniously, bowed to her husband and rode away. An hour later, after nightfall, he repassed the plantation, going northward in the direction from which he had come. He was a Federal scout. ,,, As Peyton Farquhar fell straight downward through the bridge he lost consciousness and was as one already dead. From this state he was awakened—ages later, it seemed to him—by the pain of a sharp pressure upon his throat, followed by a sense of suffocation. Keen, poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward through every fiber of his body and limbs. These pains appeared to flash along well defined lines of ramification and to beat with an inconceivably rapid periodicity. They seemed like streams of pulsating fire heating him to an intolerable temperature. As to his head, he was conscious of nothing but a feeling of fullness—of congestion. These sensations were unaccompanied by thought. The intellectual part of his nature was already effaced; he had power only to feel, and feeling was torment. He was conscious of motion. Encompassed in a luminous cloud, of which he was now merely the fiery heart, without material substance, he swung through unthinkable arcs of oscillation, like a vast pendulum. Then all at once, with terrible suddenness, the light about him shot upward with the noise of a loud splash; a frightful roaring was in his ears, and all was cold and dark. The power of thought was restored; he knew that the rope had broken and he had fallen into the stream. There was no additional strangulation; the noose about his neck was already suffocating him and kept the water from his lungs. To die of hanging at the bottom of a river!—the idea seemed to him ludicrous. He opened his eyes in the darkness and saw above him a gleam of light, but how distant, how inaccessible! He was still sinking, for the light became fainter and fainter until it was a mere glimmer. Then it began to grow and brighten, and he knew that he was rising toward the surface—knew it with reluctance, for he was now very comfortable. “To be hanged and drowned,” he thought, “that is not so bad; but I do not wish to be shot. No; I will not be shot; that is not fair.” He was not conscious of an effort, but a sharp pain in his wrist apprised him that he was trying to free his hands. He gave the struggle his attention, as an idler might observe the feat of a juggler, without interest in the outcome. What splendid effort!—what magnificent, what superhuman strength! Ah, that was a fine endeavor! Bravo! The cord fell away; his arms parted and floated upward, the hands dimly seen on each side in the growing light. He watched them with a new interest as first one and then the other pounced upon the noose at his neck. They tore it away and thrust it fiercely aside, its undulations resembling those of a water snake. “Put it back, put it back!” He thought he shouted these words to his hands, for the undoing of the noose had been succeeded by the direst pang that he had yet experienced. His neck ached horribly; his brain was on fire, his heart, which had been fluttering faintly, gave a great leap, trying to force itself out at his mouth. His whole body was racked and wrenched with an insupportable anguish! But his disobedient hands gave no heed to the command. They beat the water vigorously with quick, downward strokes, forcing him to the surface. He felt his head emerge; his eyes were blinded by the sunlight; his chest expanded convulsively, and with a supreme and crowning agony his lungs engulfed a great draught of air, which instantly he expelled in a shriek!
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—7
He was now in full possession of his physical senses. They were, indeed, preternaturally keen and alert. Something in the awful disturbance of his organic system had so exalted and refined them that they made record of things never before perceived. He felt the ripples upon his face and heard their separate sounds as they struck. He looked at the forest on the bank of the stream, saw the individual trees, the leaves and the veining of each leaf—he saw the very insects upon them: the locusts, the brilliant bodied flies, the gray spiders stretching their webs from twig to twig. He noted the prismatic colors in all the dewdrops upon a million blades of grass. The humming of the gnats that danced above the eddies of the stream, the beating of the dragon flies’ wings, the strokes of the water spiders’ legs, like oars which had lifted their boat—all these made audible music. A fish slid along beneath his eyes and he heard the rush of its body parting the water. He had come to the surface facing down the stream; in a moment the visible world seemed to wheel slowly round, himself the pivotal point, and he saw the bridge, the fort, the soldiers upon the bridge, the captain, the sergeant, the two privates, his executioners. They were in silhouette against the blue sky. They shouted and gesticulated, pointing at him. The captain had drawn his pistol, but did not fire; the others were unarmed. Their movements were grotesque and horrible, their forms gigantic. Suddenly he heard a sharp report and something struck the water smartly within a few inches of his head, spattering his face with spray. He heard a second report, and saw one of the sentinels with his rifle at his shoulder, a light cloud of blue smoke rising from the muzzle. The man in the water saw the eye of the man on the bridge gazing into his own through the sights of the rifle. He observed that it was a gray eye and remembered having read that gray eyes were keenest, and that all famous marksmen had them. Nevertheless, this one had missed. A counter-swirl had caught Farquhar and turned him half round; he was again looking at the forest on the bank opposite the fort. The sound of a clear, high voice in a monotonous singsong now rang out behind him and came across the water with a distinctness that pierced and subdued all other sounds, even the beating of the ripples in his ears. Although no soldier, he had frequented camps enough to know the dread significance of that deliberate, drawling, aspirated chant; the lieutenant on shore was taking a part in the morning’s work. How coldly and pitilessly—with what an even, calm intonation, presaging, and enforcing tranquility in the men—with what accurately measured interval fell those cruel words: “Company! . . . Attention! . . . Shoulder arms! . . . Ready!. . . Aim! . . . Fire!” Farquhar dived—dived as deeply as he could. The water roared in his ears like the voice of Niagara, yet he heard the dull thunder of the volley and, rising again toward the surface, met shining bits of metal, singularly flattened, oscillating slowly downward. Some of them touched him on the face and hands, then fell away, continuing their descent. One lodged between his collar and neck; it was uncomfortably warm and he snatched it out. As he rose to the surface, gasping for breath, he saw that he had been a long time under water; he was perceptibly farther downstream—nearer to safety. The soldiers had almost finished reloading; the metal ramrods flashed all at once in the sunshine as they were drawn from the barrels, turned in the air, and thrust into their sockets. The two sentinels fired again, independently and ineffectually.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—8
The hunted man saw all this over his shoulder; he was now swimming vigorously with the current. His brain was as energetic as his arms and legs; he thought with the rapidity of lightning: “The officer,” he reasoned, “will not make that martinet’s error a second time. It is as easy to dodge a volley as a single shot. He has probably already given the command to fire at will. God help me, I cannot dodge them all!” An appalling splash within two yards of him was followed by a loud, rushing sound, DIMINUENDO, which seemed to travel back through the air to the fort and died in an explosion which stirred the very river to its deeps! A rising sheet of water curved over him, fell down upon him, blinded him, strangled him! The cannon had taken an hand in the game. As he shook his head free from the commotion of the smitten water he heard the deflected shot humming through the air ahead, and in an instant it was cracking and smashing the branches in the forest beyond. “They will not do that again,” he thought; “the next time they will use a charge of grape. I must keep my eye upon the gun; the smoke will apprise me—the report arrives too late; it lags behind the missile. That is a good gun.” Suddenly he felt himself whirled round and round—spinning like a top. The water, the banks, the forests, the now distant bridge, fort and men, all were commingled and blurred. Objects were represented by their colors only; circular horizontal streaks of color—that was all he saw. He had been caught in a vortex and was being whirled on with a velocity of advance and gyration that made him giddy and sick. In few moments he was flung upon the gravel at the foot of the left bank of the stream—the southern bank—and behind a projecting point which concealed him from his enemies. The sudden arrest of his motion, the abrasion of one of his hands on the gravel, restored him, and he wept with delight. He dug his fingers into the sand, threw it over himself in handfuls and audibly blessed it. It looked like diamonds, rubies, emeralds; he could think of nothing beautiful which it did not resemble. The trees upon the bank were giant garden plants; he noted a definite order in their arrangement, inhaled the fragrance of their blooms. A strange roseate light shone through the spaces among their trunks and the wind made in their branches the music of Aeolian harps. He had no wish to perfect his escape—he was content to remain in that enchanting spot until retaken. A whiz and a rattle of grapeshot among the branches high above his head roused him from his dream. The baffled cannoneer had fired him a random farewell. He sprang to his feet, rushed up the sloping bank, and plunged into the forest. All that day he traveled, laying his course by the rounding sun. The forest seemed interminable; nowhere did he discover a break in it, not even a woodman’s road. He had not known that he lived in so wild a region. There was something uncanny in the revelation. By nightfall he was fatigued, footsore, famished. The thought of his wife and children urged him on. At last he found a road which led him in what he knew to be the right direction. It was as wide and straight as a city street, yet it seemed untraveled. No fields bordered it, no dwelling anywhere. Not so much as the barking of a dog suggested human habitation. The black bodies
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 9—9
of the trees formed a straight wall on both sides, terminating on the horizon in a point, like a diagram in a Lesson in perspective. Overhead, as he looked up through this rift in the wood, shone great golden stars looking unfamiliar and grouped in strange constellations. He was sure they were arranged in some order which had a secret and malign significance. The wood on either side was full of singular noises, among which—once, twice, and again—he distinctly heard whispers in an unknown tongue. His neck was in pain and lifting his hand to it found it horribly swollen. He knew that it had a circle of black where the rope had bruised it. His eyes felt congested; he could no longer close them. His tongue was swollen with thirst; he relieved its fever by thrusting it forward from between his teeth into the cold air. How softly the turf had carpeted the untraveled avenue—he could no longer feel the roadway beneath his feet! Doubtless, despite his suffering, he had fallen asleep while walking, for now he sees another scene—perhaps he has merely recovered from a delirium. He stands at the gate of his own home. All is as he left it, and all bright and beautiful in the morning sunshine. He must have traveled the entire night. As he pushes open the gate and passes up the wide white walk, he sees a flutter of female garments; his wife, looking fresh and cool and sweet, steps down from the veranda to meet him. At the bottom of the steps she stands waiting, with a smile of ineffable joy, an attitude of matchless grace and dignity. Ah, how beautiful she is! He springs forwards with extended arms. As he is about to clasp her he feels a stunning blow upon the back of the neck; a blinding white light blazes all about him with a sound like the shock of a cannon—then all is darkness and silence! Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek bridge.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 10—1
Lesson 10
Point of View: Part 2
Objective: The student will be able to identify the narrator’s point of view in a short story. Key Vocabulary: Point of view, Objective point of view, Omniscient point of view, First person point of view, Third person point of view, Limited omniscient point of view. Materials Needed: Video or DVD of the movie An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, VCR or DVD player as necessary, as well as a TV Literary Selection: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce (Lesson 9) Engage: Engaging Question: Do you think a story could have a completely different ending if it were told from a different point of view? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, review the five types of point of view. You will then use the movie An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge as an example of these types. Stop the movie at various times and discuss what the student thinks the point of view is at that part of the movie. Lesson Wrap-Up: As you stop the movie, have the student share what he thinks is the point of view at that current point in the movie.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 10—1
Lesson 10
Point of View: Part 2
Let’s review the five types of point of view. Objective The writer tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story’s action and dialogue. The narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer. Third person The narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters. The narrator lets the reader know how the characters feel. The reader learns about the characters through this outside voice. First person The narrator does participate in the action of the story. Often, what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. Readers should question the trustworthiness of the accounting of the narrator. Omniscient The narrator knows everything about all the characters and is all-knowing. Limited Omniscient The narrator’s knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor. You will now have the opportunity to watch the movie An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. Lesson Wrap-Up: As your teacher stops the movie at different points, be ready to share what you think the point of view is at that current point in the movie.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 11—1
Lesson 11
Point of View: Part 3
Objective: The student will be able to identify the narrator’s point of view in a short story. Key Vocabulary: Perspective Materials Needed: Writing journal, photos depicting various details of Statue of Liberty as explained in Additional Notes Literary Selection: The Little Brown Dwarf by Maud Keary Engage: Engaging Question: How can a picture mean different things to different people? Technology Integration: Have the student do a web search and capture photos of the following aspects of the Statue of Liberty: ringlet of hair, nose detail, view from the torch, detail of nose and lips, overall view of Liberty Island looking northwest. Visually identifying different perspectives in photography will assist the student in identifying different perspectives in literature. Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, you can either assign the Technology Integration activity or show the student the Statue of Liberty photos as suggested in Advance Preparation below. Have the student write a detailed description of the different perspectives of each picture shown. The student should then read the original poem at the end of the Lesson. Instruct her to give a written response to how the narrator controls information given to the reader and how the author uses different points of view (perspectives) throughout the poem. For additional examples, refer to the works of Shel Silverstein. Ideal examples of perspective can be found in his book Where the Sidewalk Ends, in particular, the poem titled Messy Room. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: If time or resources do not allow for the Technology Integration activity, before beginning this Lesson, search and download the photos capturing the following aspects of the Statue of Liberty: ringlet of hair, nose detail, view from the torch, detail of nose and lips, overall view of Liberty Island looking northwest. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student how she feels the narrator controls information given to the reader throughout the poem?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 11—1
Lesson 11
Point of View: Part 3
How can a picture mean different things to different people? How does this relate to point of view? When looking at the images of the Statue of Liberty, either found through your internet search or shown to you by your teacher, write down what you see. What details do you notice? What is your overall interpretation of these pictures? Do you have any emotions as you view these pictures? The photographer of these pictures is much like the narrator of a story. In this way, the photographers have taken these pictures using various points of view. Review the types of point of view, considering the perspective of a photographer. Understand that each Statue of Liberty photo represents a different point of view that an author can use when writing a story. Objective The writer tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story’s action and dialogue. The narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer. Third person The narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters. The narrator lets the reader know how the characters feel. The reader learns about the characters through this outside voice.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 11—2
First person The narrator participates in the action of the story. Often, what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. Readers should question the trustworthiness of the accounting of the narrator. Omniscient The narrator knows everything about all the characters and is all-knowing. Limited Omniscient The narrator’s knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor. After viewing the photos and writing down your thoughts, see if you came up with these responses: The Ringlet of Hair compares to the objective point of view, which is when the photographer shows and the writer tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the photo’s or story’s action and dialogue. The photographer or narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer. In the photo, nothing can be inferred; it is even difficult to recognize the subject of the photo. The photographer/author has chosen, in this case, to create in the viewer/ reader a sense of mystery or a desire to know more. The Nose Detail compares to third-person narration. Here the photographer or narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters, but lets us know exactly how the characters feel. One learns about the characters through this outside voice. This photo shows a large sculpted nose that has incurred some damage. The viewer/ reader can infer that this detail is part of a much larger, though unseen, statue that it is exposed to the elements, that it is aging; considering the statue as a character, the viewer/ reader begins to learn how the character “feels” about the damage. The View from the Torch compares to a first-person narrator—the statue itself. Here, we are looking out from the statue’s point of view. Compare the detail of the nose to the limited omniscient point of view, in which the photographer and narrator “know” what’s “inside” one character. Compare the Overall view of Liberty Island looking northwest with Jersey City in the background to the omniscient point of view. Can you see how the narrator and the photographer both “see” everything and will provide all the answers to you?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 11—3
You will now read an original poem. When you finish, provide a written response to how you feel the narrator controls information given to the reader throughout the poem, continuing the study of how an author uses different points of view in literature.
Most Famous Woman Such an amazing woman A woman with talents that others often do not see She is a teacher and a mentor Her Lessons are of life and morality She is a doctor and a nurse Healing wounds of both the heart and body She is an excellent chef and baker Creating treats and meals that are healthy She gives without asking She sacrifices everything for me and my brother Her family is her passion I call this woman my mother. Lesson Wrap Up: How do you feel the narrator controls information given to the reader throughout the poem?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 12—1
Lesson 12
Point of View: Part 4
Objective: The student will be able to identify the narrator’s point of view in a short story. Materials Needed: The Tell-Tale Heart Literary Selection: The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe Engage: Engaging Question: How does the point of view a story is being told in, affect the meaning of the story? Extensions: Students may wish to read The Trial of James Wood attributed to Poe and the Letter from Edgar Allen Poe to Maria Clemm, July 7, 1849 on their own. Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will begin this Lesson by responding the engaging question about point of view. In this Lesson the student will read The Tell-Tale Heart, in which the reader appears to be addressed directly. Ask the student the following questions: Why would the narrator address the reader directly? The narrator denies that he is mad: what in the text belies that claim? How does sentence structure (passages such as “I undid the lantern cautiously—oh, so cautiously— cautiously”) reflect the apparent madness of the narrator? Is the story then simply the ranting of a madman, who would speak to anyone? Ironically, in Edgar Allan Poe to Maria Clemm , July 7, 1849 (a letter Poe wrote to his mother), Poe writes, “I was never really insane,” sounding quite a bit like the narrator of his story. Ask the student if he thinks Poe was insane. Let the student know that in another piece attributed to Poe, The Trial of James Wood, he writes of a murder trial in which the accused receives a verdict of “not guilty on the grounds of insanity.” Written in 1840, before the publication of The Tell-Tale Heart, regardless of its authorship, The Trial of James Wood establishes that the insanity defense was used in the mid-19th century.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 12—2
Ask the student to point out likely examples of the narrator’s unreliability in The Tell-Tale Heart. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: The student should have read A TellTale Heart by Poe prior to this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student his opinion of the narrator’s sanity. Then, ask the following question: Do you think the narrator of the story is Poe himself since both the narrator and Poe claim sanity, perhaps in hopes that they can will it so?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 12—1
Lesson 12
Point of View: Part 4
How does the point of view of a story affect the meaning of the story? In this Lesson you will read The Tell-Tale Heart, in which the reader appears to be addressed directly. Why would the narrator would do this? The narrator denies that he is mad: what in the text belies that claim? How does sentence structure (passages such as “I undid the lantern cautiously—oh, so cautiously—cautiously”) reflect the apparent madness of the narrator? Is the story then simply the ranting of a madman, who would speak to anyone? Ironically, in Edgar Allan Poe to Maria Clemm, July 7, 1849 (a letter Poe wrote to his mother), Poe writes, “I was never really insane,” sounding quite a bit like the narrator of his story. Does this make you believe that Poe was or was not insane. In another piece attributed to Poe, he writes of a murder trial in which the accused receives a verdict of “not guilty on the grounds of insanity.” Written in 1840, before the publication of The Tell-Tale Heart, the article (regardless of its authorship) establishes that the insanity defense was used in the mid-19th century. All three possibilities (the narrator is either stark raving mad, in a moment of (relative) clarity hoping against hope that he is not mad, or pretending to be mad) would preclude the possibility that we can completely rely on anything the narrator says. He is an example of an unreliable narrator. What in the text can you point to as likely examples of the narrator’s unreliability? Lesson Wrap-Up: What is your opinion of the narrator’s sanity? Can we equate the narrator of the story with Poe himself as both claim sanity, perhaps in hopes that they can will it so?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 12—2
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe 1843
TRUE!—nervous—very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily—how calmly I can tell you the whole story. It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever. Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded—with what caution—with what foresight—with what dissimulation I went to work! I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him. And every night, about midnight, I turned the latch of his door and opened it—oh so gently! And then, when I had made an opening sufficient for my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed, closed, that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed to see how cunningly I thrust it in! I moved it slowly—very, very slowly, so that I might not disturb the old man’s sleep. It took me an hour to place my whole head within the opening so far that I could see him as he lay upon his bed. Ha! would a madman have been so wise as this, And then, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiously—oh, so cautiously— cautiously (for the hinges creaked)—I undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye. And this I did for seven long nights—every night just at midnight—but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye. And every morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber, and spoke courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone, and inquiring how he has passed the night. So you see he would have been a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept. Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch’s minute hand moves more quickly than did mine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers—of my sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph. To think that there I was, opening the door, little by little, and he not even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts. I fairly chuckled at the idea; and perhaps he heard me; for he moved on the bed suddenly, as if startled.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 12—3
Now you may think that I drew back—but no. His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness, (for the shutters were close fastened, through fear of robbers,) and so I knew that he could not see the opening of the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily, steadily. I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern, when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old man sprang up in bed, crying out—“Who’s there?” I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed listening;—just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the death watches in the wall. Presently I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or of grief—oh, no!—it was the low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe. I knew the sound well. Many a night, just at midnight, when all the world slept, it has welled up from my own bosom, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted me. I say I knew it well. I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart. I knew that he had been lying awake ever since the first slight noise, when he had turned in the bed. His fears had been ever since growing upon him. He had been trying to fancy them causeless, but could not. He had been saying to himself—“It is nothing but the wind in the chimney—it is only a mouse crossing the floor,” or “It is merely a cricket which has made a single chirp.” Yes, he had been trying to comfort himself with these suppositions: but he had found all in vain. All in vain; because Death, in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim. And it was the mournful influence of the unperceived shadow that caused him to feel—although he neither saw nor heard—to feel the presence of my head within the room. When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little—a very, very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it—you cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily—until, at length a simple dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the crevice and fell full upon the vulture eye. It was open—wide, wide open—and I grew furious as I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness—all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but I could see nothing else of the old man’s face or person: for I had directed the ray as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot. And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the sense?— now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the old man’s heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage. But even yet I refrained and kept still. I scarcely breathed. I held the lantern motionless. I tried how steadily I could maintain the ray upon the eve. Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased. It grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant. The old man’s terror must have been extreme! It grew louder, I say, louder every moment!—do you mark me well I have told you that I am nervous: so I am. And now at the dead hour of the night, amid the dreadful
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 12—4
silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excited me to uncontrollable terror. Yet, for some minutes longer I refrained and stood still. But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me—the sound would be heard by a neighbour! The old man’s hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once—once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a muffled sound. This, however, did not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length it ceased. The old man was dead. I removed the bed and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stone dead. I placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many minutes. There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more. If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs. I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye—not even his— could have detected any thing wrong. There was nothing to wash out—no stain of any kind—no blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. A tub had caught all—ha! ha! When I had made an end of these labors, it was four o’clock—still dark as midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart,—for what had I now to fear? There entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity, as officers of the police. A shriek had been heard by a neighbour during the night; suspicion of foul play had been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office, and they (the officers) had been deputed to search the premises. I smiled,—for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took my visitors all over the house. I bade them search—search well. I led them, at length, to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim. The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct:—It continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definiteness—until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears. No doubt I now grew very pale;—but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound—much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath—and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly—more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 12—5
would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men—but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed—I raved—I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder—louder—louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God!—no, no! They heard!—they suspected!—they knew!—they were making a mockery of my horror!—this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! and now—again!—hark! louder! louder! louder! louder! “Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks! here, here!— It is the beating of his hideous heart!” -THE END-
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 13—1
Lesson 13
Literary Devices
Objective: The student will be able to identify literary devices as they are used in short stories. Key Vocabulary: Imagery, Foreshadowing, Setting, Conflict, Internal conflict, External Conflict Engage: Engaging Question: Have you ever watched a movie that ended completely different from how you thought? What was your reaction? Did you think back on the movie to figure out clues you missed that gave hints as to how it would end? Extension: As a homework assignment, the student could write her own short story on a subject of her choice in which the ending is a surprise and completely different from what they reader may think will happen in the beginning. Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, review several literary devices that are used in short stories, a few of which have been previously discussed in class. These literary devices are as follows: imagery, setting, conflict, and foreshadowing. Read the first paragraph of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge aloud. Then discuss the setting of the story as it is evident from this portion and have the student describe the imagery. With the story in hand, have the student underline clues that might indicate that the man was going to be hanged. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: Refer to the Extension activity which could be utilized as a homework assignment. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to think about a movie she has seen in which the beginning of the movie gave clues as to how the movie would end. Generate a discussion on how the clues foreshadowed the rest of the movie.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 13—1
Lesson 13
Literary Devices
In this Lesson, you will review several literary devices that are used in short stories, a few of which we have previously discussed in class. These literary devices are as follows: Imagery — Imagery is used by an author to describe a person, place, or event. Consider the five senses when determining if imagery is evident in a story. Setting — The time and place in which a story occurs. Conflict — The struggle between main characters in a story. There are two types of conflict: • Internal — Conflict in the mind of a character. • External — Conflict between a character and another force in the story (another character, nature, society, etc..) Foreshadowing — The clues given by the author to let the reader know what may happen later in the story. Next, listen as your teacher reads the first paragraph of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge aloud. Then discuss the setting of the story as it is evident from this portion and describe its imagery as well. As you read the rest of the story, underline clues in the story that might indicate that the man was going to be hanged. This is an example of foreshadowing in the text. Did you notice these clues before you learned about foreshadowing? Lesson Wrap-Up: Can you think about a movie you have seen in which the beginning of the movie gave clues as to how the movie would end. Explain how the clues foreshadowed the rest of the movie.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 14—1
Lesson 14 Literary Devices Review Objective: The student will review the literary terms and devices utilized in Ambrose Bierce’s An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge. Key Vocabulary: Point of view, Foreshadowing, Setting, Imagery, Conflict. Literary Selection: An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce (Lesson 9). Engage: Engaging Question: How does point of view, foreshadowing, setting, imagery and conflict all contribute to the overall telling of a story? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, review the literary terms taught in the earlier Lessons surrounding An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. At the end of the Lesson, give the student the Literary Devices Quiz to assess her knowledge of these concepts. Literary Devices Quiz Answer Key: 1.) Objective 2.) Third Person 3.) First Person 4.) Omniscient 5.) Omniscient Limited 6.) Imagery 7.) External Conflict 8.) Imagery 9.) Foreshadowing 10.) Setting 11.) External Conflict 12.) Internal Conflict 13.) External Conflict 14.) Imagery 15.) Objective Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student if she were writing a story, would imagery, setting, conflict and foreshadowing be part of her brainstorming process before she began or would she insert these elements after she had written the first draft of the story? Have her write a brief paragraph about how she thinks a writer goes about incorporating these aspects into a story.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 14—1
Lesson 14 Literary Devices Review How does point of view, foreshadowing, setting, imagery and conflict all contribute to the overall telling of a story? Now, let’s review the literary terms taught in the earlier Lessons surrounding An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. This terminology includes: Imagery—Imagery is used by an author to describe a person, place, or event. Consider the five senses when determining if imagery is evident in a story. Setting—The time and place in which a story occurs. Conflict—The struggle between main characters in a story. There are two types of conflict: • Internal—Conflict in the mind of a character. • External—Conflict between a character and another force in the story (another character, nature, society, etc..) Foreshadowing—The clues given by the author to let the reader know what may happen later in the story. The quiz below will assess how well you understand these concepts. Lesson Wrap-Up: If you were writing a story, would imagery, setting, conflict and foreshadowing be part of your brainstorming process before you began or would you insert these elements after you had written the story? Write a brief paragraph about how you would go about incorporating these aspects as a writer.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 14—2
Literary Devices Quiz Objective
Imagery
Omniscient Limited Third person
Setting First person
Imagery
Internal conflict
Omniscient
External conflict
Foreshadowing
Directions: Write the correct term in the blank next to each definition. 1. A narrator who tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story’s action and dialogue.
2. A narrator who lets us know exactly how the characters feel.
3. The narrator participates in the action of the story.
4. A narrator who knows everything about all the characters.
5. A narrator whose knowledge of the characters in the story is only limited to one character.
6. The way the writer uses words to describe a person, place, or event.
7. Conflict with another person, with nature, or with society.
8. The details in a story appealing to the five senses.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 14—3
9. The clues that a writer gives the reader to prepare the reader for events that will happen later in the story.
10. The time and place in which a story occurs.
11. The struggle between opposing forces in a story.
12. Conflict existing in the mind of a character.
13. Conflict existing when a character deals with an outside force.
14. The words used to paint a picture in the reader’s mind.
15. The narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer in the story.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 15—1
Lesson 15 Meeting Characters The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett Objective: The student will be introduced to Francis Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden. The student will be able to compare and contrast elements of two different geographical regions. Key Vocabulary: Musty, Moor, Cholera, Frail, Stern, Flatly, Venn diagram, Ayah, Sahib, Bungalow Materials Needed: Map of the world, Encyclopedias, The Tell-Tale Heart Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: Discuss a time when you (or a friend) moved to a new location. How did you (or your friend) feel? Why was a move necessary? How did the move affect you or your friend? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will begin reading the novel The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. Before the student begins reading, have him examine a map of the world, looking carefully at India and England. What can he observe about these two geographical areas? The novel follows a nine year old girl who was born in India as she moves to England after her parents die. Using an encyclopedia or other comparable source, have the student create a Venn Diagram comparing India and England. Then assign Chapter One of the novel to be read either aloud or silently. After the student has finished reading, ask him why Mary had to move. Have the student explain how he thinks Mary feels about this move. Also, as the student reads the story, have the student draw a map in his journal projecting what they feel was Mary’s route from India to her new home. Make sure to have the student keep a separate log in his notebook and define each of the key vocabulary terms for the Lesson and use them in a sentence. Lesson Wrap-Up: As the student reads the story, have the student draw a map in his journal projecting what they feel was Mary’s route from India to her new home.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 15—1
Lesson 15 Meeting Characters The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett Discuss a time when you (or a friend) moved to a new location. How did you (or your friend) feel? Why was a move necessary? How did the move affect you or your friend? In this Lesson you will begin reading the novel The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. The novel follows a nine year old girl who was born in India and moved to England after her parents die. Before beginning reading, examine a map of the world, looking carefully at India and England. What can be observed about these two geographical areas? Using an encyclopedia or other comparable source, create a Venn Diagram comparing India and England.
Characteristics
Characteristics
Common Characteristics
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 15—2
Your teacher will instruct you to read Chapter One of the novel either aloud or silently. When you have finished reading, consider; why did Mary have to move? Explain how you think she feels because of this move. Be sure to keep a separate vocabulary log in your notebook because after you answer the above questions, you are going to look up the definitions of each of the key vocabulary terms for the Lesson and use them in a sentence. Lesson Wrap-Up: As you read the story, draw a map in your journal projecting what what you feel was Mary’s route from India to her new home.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 15—3
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER I THERE IS NO ONE LEFT When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manorto live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen. It was true, too. She had a little thin face and a little thin body, thin light hair and a sour expression. Her hair was yellow, and her face was yellow because she had been born in India and had always been ill in one way or another. Her father had held a position under the English Government and had always been busy and ill himself, and her mother had been a great beauty who cared only to go to parties and amuse herself with gay people. She had not wanted a little girl at all, and when Mary was born she handed her over to the care of an Ayah, who was made to understand that if she wished to please the Mem Sahib she must keep the child out of sight as much as possible. So when she was a sickly, fretful, ugly little baby she was kept out of the way, and when she became a sickly, fretful, toddling thing she was kept out of the way also. She never remembered seeing familiarly anything but the dark faces of her Ayah and the other native servants, and as they always obeyed her and gave her her own way in everything, because the Mem Sahib would be angry if she was disturbed by her crying, by the time she was six years old she was as tyrannical and selfish a little pig as ever lived. The young English governess who came to teach her to read and write disliked her so much that she gave up her place in three months, and when other governesses came to try to fill it they always went away in a shorter time than the first one. So if Mary had not chosen to really want to know how to read books she would never have learned her letters at all. One frightfully hot morning, when she was about nine years old, she awakened feeling very cross, and she became crosser still when she saw that the servant who stood by her bedside was not her Ayah. “Why did you come?” she said to the strange woman. “I will not let you stay. Send my Ayah to me.” The woman looked frightened, but she only stammered that the Ayah could not come and when Mary threw herself into a passion and beat and kicked her, she looked only more frightened and repeated that it was not possible for the Ayah to come to Missie Sahib. There was something mysterious in the air that morning. Nothing was done in its regular order and several of the native servants seemed missing, while those whom Mary saw slunk or hurried about with ashy and scared faces. But no one would tell her anything and her Ayah did not come. She was actually left alone as the morning went on, and at last she wandered out into the garden and began to play by herself under a tree near the veranda. She pretended that she was making a flower-bed, and she stuck big scarlet hibiscus blossoms into little heaps of earth, all the time growing more and more angry
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 15—4
and muttering to herself the things she would say and the names she would call Saidie when she returned. “Pig! Pig! Daughter of Pigs!” she said, because to calla native a pig is the worst insult of all. She was grinding her teeth and saying this over and over again when she heard her mother come out on the veranda with some one. She was with a fair young man and they stood talking together in low strange voices. Mary knew the fair young man who looked like a boy. She had heard that he was a very young officer who had just come from England. The child stared at him, but she stared most at her mother. She always did this when she had a chance to see her, because the Mem Sahib—Mary used to call her that oftener than anything else— was such a tall, slim, pretty person and wore such lovely clothes. Her hair was like curly silk and she had a delicate little nose which seemed to be disdaining things, and she had large laughing eyes. All her clothes were thin and floating, and Mary said they were “full of lace.”They looked fuller of lace than ever this morning, but her eyes were not laughing at all. They were large and scared and lifted imploringly to the fair boy officer’s face. “Is it so very bad? Oh, is it?” Mary heard her say. “Awfully,” the young man answered in a trembling voice. “Awfully, Mrs. Lennox. You ought to have gone to the hills two weeks ago.” The Mem Sahib wrung her hands. “Oh, I know I ought!” she cried. “I only stayed to go to that silly dinner party. What a fool I was!” At that very moment such a loud sound of wailing broke out from the servants’ quarters that she clutched the young man’s arm, and Mary stood shivering from head to foot. The wailing grew wilder and wilder. “What is it? What is it?” Mrs. Lennox gasped. “Some one has died,” answered the boy officer. “You did not say it had broken out among your servants.” “I did not know!” the Mem Sahib cried. “Come with me! Come with me!” and she turned and ran into the house. After that, appalling things happened, and the mysteriousness of the morning was explained to Mary. The cholera had broken out in its most fatal form and people were dying like flies. The Ayah had been taken ill in the night, and it was because she had just died that the servants had wailed in the huts. Before the next day three other servants were dead and others had run away in terror. There was panic on every side, and dying people in all the bungalows. During the confusion and bewilderment of the second day Mary hid herself in the nursery and was forgotten by everyone. Nobody thought of her, nobody wanted her, and strange things happened of which she knew nothing. Mary alternately cried and slept through the hours. She only
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 15—5
knew that people were ill and that she heard mysterious and frightening sounds. Once she crept into the dining-room and found it empty, though a partly finished meal was on the table and chairs and plates looked as if they had been hastily pushed back when the diners rose suddenly for some reason. The child ate some fruit and biscuits, and being thirsty she drank a glass of wine which stood nearly filled. It was sweet, and she did not know how strong it was. Very soon it made her intensely drowsy, and she went back to her nursery and shut herself in again, frightened by cries she heard in the huts and by the hurrying sound of feet. The wine made her so sleepy that she could scarcely keep her eyes open and she lay down on her bed and knew nothing more for a long time. Many things happened during the hours in which she slept so heavily, but she was not disturbed by the wails and the sound of things being carried in and out of the bungalow. When she awakened she lay and stared at the wall. The house was perfectly still. She had never known it to be so silent before. She heard neither voices nor footsteps, and wondered if everybody had got well of the cholera and all the trouble was over. She wondered also who would take care of her now her Ayah was dead. There would be a new Ayah, and perhaps she would know some new stories. Mary had been rather tired of the old ones. She did not cry because her nurse had died. She was not an affectionate child and had never cared much for any one.The noise and hurrying about and wailing over the cholera had frightened her, and she had been angry because no one seemed to remember that she was alive. Everyone was too panic-stricken to think of a little girl no one was fond of. When people had the cholera it seemed that they remembered nothing but themselves. But if everyone had got well again, surely some one would remember and come to look for her. But no one came, and as she lay waiting the house seemed to grow more and more silent. She heard something rustling on the matting and when she looked down she saw a little snake gliding along and watching her with eyes like jewels. She was not frightened, because he was a harmless little thing who would not hurt her and he seemed in a hurry to get out of the room. He slipped under the door as she watched him. “How queer and quiet it is,” she said. “It sounds as if there were no one in the bungalow but me and the snake.” Almost the next minute she heard footsteps in the compound, and then on the veranda. They were men’s footsteps, and the men entered the bungalow and talked in low voices. No one went to meet or speak to them and they seemed to open doors and look into rooms.“What desolation!”she heard one voice say. “That pretty, pretty woman! I suppose the child, too. I heard there was a child, though no one ever saw her.” Mary was standing in the middle of the nursery when they opened the door a few minutes later. She looked an ugly, cross little thing and was frowning because she was beginning to be hungry and feel disgracefully neglected.The first man who came in was a large officer she had once seen talking to her father. He looked tired and troubled, but when he saw her he was so startled that he almost jumped back.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 15—6
“Barney!” he cried out. “There is a child here! A child alone! In a place like this! Mercy on us, who is she!” “I am Mary Lennox,” the little girl said, drawing herself up stiffly. She thought the man was very rude to call her father’s bungalow “A place like this!” “I fell asleep when everyone had the cholera and I have only just wakened up. Why does nobody come?” “It is the child no one ever saw!” exclaimed the man, turning to his companions. “She has actually been forgotten!” “Why was I forgotten?” Mary said, stamping her foot. “Why does nobody come?” The young man whose name was Barney looked at her very sadly. Mary even thought she saw him wink his eyes as if to wink tears away. “Poor little kid!” he said. “There is nobody left to come.” It was in that strange and sudden way that Mary found out that she had neither father nor mother left; that they had died and been carried away in the night, and that the few native servants who had not died also had left the house as quickly as they could get out of it, none of them even remembering that there was a Missie Sahib. That was why the place was so quiet. It was true that there was no one in the bungalow but herself and the little rustling snake.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 16—1
Lesson 16
Investigating Setting The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will begin investigating the settings of a novel. The student will learn new information about the geographies and cultures of England and India. Materials Needed: Internet access, Index cards Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: What effect does moving from one area to another have on a person of your age? What areas of that person’s life are most affected? Technology Integration: In this Lesson, the student is encouraged to conduct an internet research on one of the following topics about India or England: The climate and language of India; The climate and language of England; The culture and customs of India; The culture and customs of England. Then, the student could be allowed the opportunity to present her work as a Power Point presentation. Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, she will be doing an activity to learn more about the countries of England and India. The student is responsible to use the internet or any other research materials to learn about one of the topics listed in the Technology Integration area. Instruct the student to write a one-page explanation of her research, and then use some form of creative means to present the information researched. Some ideas for this include a poster, diorama, model, computer based presentation, song, poem, etc. After she has completed this activity, the student will present her project aloud. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: To prepare for Lesson 17, assign the reading of Chapters Two and Three as homework. Lesson Wrap-up: As a conclusion to her presentation, ask the student to apply what she has learned about India and England to discuss what types of changes Mary will experience based on her move from India to England in the novel.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 16—1
Lesson 16
Investigating Setting The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
What effect does moving from one area to another have on a person of your age? What areas of that person’s life are most affected? Today you will be participating in an activity that will teach you about the countries of England and India. Your teacher will provide index cards to take notes, as you have learned to do in previous Lessons. Remember that proper note-taking skills are essential to your ability to be a successful student in the future. Put one idea or note on each index card with a topic title placed at the top of the card, which will help you organize your ideas when you complete the activity. The topic title should give a quick overview of what the note or idea is about. When you have completed taking notes, organize your index cards by putting them into piles representing each topic title or main idea. You may use the internet or any other research materials to learn about one of the following topics: The The The The
climate and language of India climate and language of England culture and customs of India culture and customs of England
You will then write a one-page written explanation of your research and choose a creative way to present the information researched. Some ideas for this presentation include a poster, diorama, model, computer based presentation, song, poem, etc. Be creative with your presentation! You will then have an opportunity to present this material aloud. Lesson Wrap-Up: In your journal, use the information you have learned about India and England to predict what types of changes Mary will experience moving from India to England.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—1
Lesson 17
Characterization The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will be able to describe personality characteristics of a character as she continues reading The Secret Garden. Key Vocabulary: Befriend, Displeased, Intrusion, Discomfited, Brougham, Heather, Gorse, Broom Materials Needed: Writing journal, Large paper for tracing Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: How can a garden be secret? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student should have read Chapters 2 and 3 before beginning this Lesson. After the student responds to the Engaging Question in her journal, assign the Chapter 2 and 3 Study Questions. Chapter II and III Study Question Answers: The author introduces Mary as a “disagreeable looking child”? What features made Mary Lennox a “disagreeable looking child”? Played by herself, she was cross, put her fingers in her eyes to ignore, turned her face away. How did the servants treat Mary? What effect did their treatment of her have upon her character? They always took care of her; this made her self-absorbed. What happened to Mary’s Ayah? How did Mary react to this news? He died What is cholera? Find a definition of it. What are its symptoms? A contamination of drinking water. It causes diarrhea and dehydration. Who was Basil Crawford? How did he tease Mary? What news did he give Mary about her future? He was a boy in the English Clergyman’s house; He made fun of her and called her names and laughed at her; He told her she would be sent home.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—2
What did Basil tell Mary about Mr. Craven? How does she react to Mrs. Crawford’s attempt to be kind to her? He told her that he lives in a big, old house, no one goes near him, and that he is a hunchback; Mary was stony and uninterested. How does Mrs. Crawford try to explain Mary’s behavior? Do you agree with her? Tell why or why not. She says she is a plain child; Answers will vary. Describe Mary’s voyage from India to England. Who greets her when she arrives in London? Answers will vary; Mr. Craven’s housekeeper Mrs. Medlock. Why didn’t Mrs. Medlock want to go to London to meet Mary? Why did she go? She wanted to go to her sister’s daughter’s wedding; She would lose her job. How is Mary related to Mr. Craven? Mr. Craven is her uncle. What did Mrs. Medlock tell Mary about the “queer place” she was going to? It was a big, gloomy house with hundreds of rooms that were locked and nothing else was in the house except paintings and furniture. What did Mrs. Medlock tell Mary about her uncle? What fact surprised Mary? He has a crooked back and was sour; That he was married and his wife had died. What did Mrs. Medlock say that Mary should or shouldn’t expect? To see her uncle and to talk to people. How does Mary feel about Mr. Craven? She felt sorry for him. Start a flower for Mary. Fill the flower’s circle with words that describe Mary at this time. Answers will vary. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: Chapters 2 and 3 are to be read before the Lesson begins. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student look up the prefixes be-, dis- and in-. Ask the student to use the meaning of the prefixes to determine the meaning of the Key Vocabulary words. Then have the student look up the meanings of the words in the dictionary and write them down in her journal.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—1
Lesson 17
Characterization
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett How can a garden be secret? Now that you have read Chapters 2 and 3, answer the Study Questions corresponding to these chapters.
Chapters 2 and 3 Study Questions The author introduces Mary as a “disagreeable looking child”? What features made Mary Lennox a “disagreeable looking child”?
How did the servants treat Mary? What effect did their treatment of her have upon her character?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—2
What happened to Mary’s Ayah? How did Mary react to this news?
What is cholera? Find a definition of it. What are its symptoms?
Who was Basil Crawford? How did he tease Mary? What news did he give Mary about her future?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—3
What did Basil tell Mary about Mr. Craven? How does she react to Mrs. Crawford’s attempt to be kind to her?
How does Mrs. Crawford try to explain Mary’s behavior? Do you agree with her? Tell why or why not.
Describe Mary’s voyage from India to England. Who greets her when she arrives in London?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—4
Why didn’t Mrs. Medlock want to go to London to meet Mary? Why did she go?
How is Mary related to Mr. Craven?
What did Mrs. Medlock tell Mary about the “queer place” she was going to?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—5
What did Mrs. Medlock tell Mary about her uncle? What fact surprised Mary?
What did Mrs. Medlock say that Mary should or shouldn’t expect?
How does Mary feel about Mr. Craven?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—6
Start a flower for Mary. Fill the flower’s circle with words that describe Mary at this time.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—7
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER II MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone. She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done. If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be. What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done. She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first. She did not want to stay. The English clergyman was poor and he had five children nearly all the same age and they wore shabby clothes and were always quarreling and snatching toys from each other. Mary hated their untidy bungalow and was so disagreeable to them that after the first day or two nobody would play with her. By the second day they had given her a nickname which made her furious. It was Basil who thought of it first. Basil was a little boy with impudent blue eyes and a turnedup nose, and Mary hated him. She was playing by herself under a tree, just as she had been playing the day the cholera broke out. She was making heaps of earth and paths for a garden and Basil came and stood near to watch her. Presently he got rather interested and suddenly made a suggestion. “Why don’t you put a heap of stones there and pretend it is a rockery?” he said. “There in the middle,” and he leaned over her to point. “Go away!” cried Mary. “I don’t want boys. Go away!” For a moment Basil looked angry, and then he began to tease. He was always teasing his sisters. He danced round and round her and made faces and sang and laughed. “Mistress Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells, and cockle shells, And marigolds all in a row.” He sang it until the other children heard and laughed, too; and the crosser Mary got, the more they sang “Mistress Mary, quite contrary”; and after that as long as she stayed with them they called her “Mistress Mary Quite Contrary” when they spoke of her to each other, and often when they spoke to her. “You are going to be sent home,” Basil said to her, “at the end of the week. And we’re glad of it.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—8
“I am glad of it, too,” answered Mary. “Where is home?” “She doesn’t know where home is!” said Basil, with seven-year-old scorn. “It’s England, of course. Our grandmama lives there and our sister Mabel was sent to her last year. You are not going to your grandmama. You have none. You are going to your uncle. His name is Mr. Archibald Craven.” “I don’t know anything about him,” snapped Mary. “I know you don’t,” Basil answered. “You don’t know anything. Girls never do. I heard father and mother talking about him. He lives in a great, big, desolate old house in the country and no one goes near him. He’s so cross he won’t let them, and they wouldn’t come if he would let them. He’s a hunchback, and he’s horrid.” “I don’t believe you,” said Mary; and she turned her back and stuck her fingers in her ears, because she would not listen any more. But she thought over it a great deal afterward; and when Mrs. Crawford told her that night that she was going to sail away to England in a few days and go to her uncle, Mr. Archibald Craven, who lived at Misselthwaite Manor, she looked so stony and stubbornly uninterested that they did not know what to think about her. They tried to be kind to her, but she only turned her face away when Mrs. Crawford attempted to kiss her, and held herself stiffly when Mr. Crawford patted her shoulder. “She is such a plain child,” Mrs. Crawford said pityingly, afterward. “And her mother was such a pretty creature. She had a very pretty manner, too, and Mary has the most unattractive ways I ever saw in a child. The children call her `Mistress Mary Quite Contrary,’ and though it’s naughty of them, one can’t help understanding it.” “Perhaps if her mother had carried her pretty face and her pretty manners oftener into the nursery Mary might have learned some pretty ways too. It is very sad, now the poor beautiful thing is gone, to remember that many people never even knew that she had a child at all.” “I believe she scarcely ever looked at her,” sighed Mrs. Crawford. “When her Ayah was dead there was no one to give a thought to the little thing. Think of the servants running away and leaving her all alone in that deserted bungalow. Colonel McGrew said he nearly jumped out of his skin when he opened the door and found her standing by herself in the middle of the room.” Mary made the long voyage to England under the care of an officer’s wife, who was taking her children to leave them in a boarding-school. She was very much absorbed in her own little boy and girl, and was rather glad to hand the child over to the woman Mr. Archibald Craven sent to meet her, in London. The woman was his housekeeper at Misselthwaite Manor, and her name was Mrs. Medlock. She was a stout woman, with very red cheeks and sharp black eyes. She wore a very purple dress, a black silk mantle with jet fringe on it and a black bonnet with purple velvet flowers which stuck up
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—9
and trembled when she moved her head. Mary did not like her at all, but as she very seldom liked people there was nothing remarkable in that; besides which it was very evident Mrs. Medlock did not think much of her. “My word! she’s a plain little piece of goods!” she said. “And we’d heard that her mother was a beauty. She hasn’t handed much of it down, has she, ma’am?” “Perhaps she will improve as she grows older,” the officer’s wife said good-naturedly. “If she were not so sallow and had a nicer expression, her features are rather good. Children alter so much.” “She’ll have to alter a good deal,” answered Mrs. Medlock. “And, there’s nothing likely to improve children at Misselthwaite—if you ask me!” They thought Mary was not listening because she was standing a little apart from them at the window of the private hotel they had gone to. She was watching the passing buses and cabs and people, but she heard quite well and was made very curious about her uncle and the place he lived in. What sort of a place was it, and what would he be like? What was a hunchback? She had never seen one. Perhaps there were none in India. Since she had been living in other people’s houses and had had no Ayah, she had begun to feel lonely and to think queer thoughts which were new to her. She had begun to wonder why she had never seemed to belong to anyone even when her father and mother had been alive. Other children seemed to belong to their fathers and mothers, but she had never seemed to really be anyone’s little girl. She had had servants, and food and clothes, but no one had taken any notice of her. She did not know that this was because she was a disagreeable child; but then, of course, she did not know she was disagreeable. She often thought that other people were, but she did not know that she was so herself. She thought Mrs. Medlock the most disagreeable person she had ever seen, with her common, highly colored face and her common fine bonnet. When the next day they set out on their journey to Yorkshire, she walked through the station to the railway carriage with her head up and trying to keep as far away from her as she could, because she did not want to seem to belong to her. It would have made her angry to think people imagined she was her little girl. But Mrs. Medlock was not in the least disturbed by her and her thoughts. She was the kind of woman who would “stand no nonsense from young ones.” At least, that is what she would have said if she had been asked. She had not wanted to go to London just when her sister Maria’s daughter was going to be married, but she had a comfortable, well paid place as housekeeper at Misselthwaite Manor and the only way in which she could keep it was to do at once what Mr. Archibald Craven told her to do. She never dared even to ask a question. “Captain Lennox and his wife died of the cholera,” Mr. Craven had said in his short, cold way. “Captain Lennox was my wife’s brother and I am their daughter’s guardian. The child is to be brought here. You must go to London and bring her yourself.” So she packed her small trunk and made the journey. Mary sat in her corner of the railway carriage and looked plain and fretful. She had nothing to read or to look at, and she had folded her thin little black-gloved hands in her lap. Her black dress made her look yellower than ever, and her limp light hair straggled from under her black crepe hat.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—10
“A more marred-looking young one I never saw in my life,” Mrs. Medlock thought. (Marred is a Yorkshire word and means spoiled and pettish.) She had never seen a child who sat so still without doing anything; and at last she got tired of watching her and began to talk in a brisk, hard voice. “I suppose I may as well tell you something about where you are going to,” she said. “Do you know anything about your uncle?” “No,” said Mary. “Never heard your father and mother talk about him?” “No,” said Mary frowning. She frowned because she remembered that her father and mother had never talked to her about anything in particular. Certainly they had never told her things. “Humph,” muttered Mrs. Medlock, staring at her queer, unresponsive little face. She did not say any more for a few moments and then she began again. “I suppose you might as well be told something—to prepare you. You are going to a queer place.” Mary said nothing at all, and Mrs. Medlock looked rather discomfited by her apparent indifference, but, after taking a breath, she went on. “Not but that it’s a grand big place in a gloomy way, and Mr. Craven’s proud of it in his way—and that’s gloomy enough, too. The house is six hundred years old and it’s on the edge of the moor, and there’s near a hundred rooms in it, though most of them’s shut up and locked. And there’s pictures and fine old furniture and things that’s been there for ages, and there’s a big park round it and gardens and trees with branches trailing to the ground—some of them.” She paused and took another breath. “But there’s nothing else,” she ended suddenly. Mary had begun to listen in spite of herself. It all sounded so unlike India, and anything new rather attracted her. But she did not intend to look as if she were interested. That was one of her unhappy, disagreeable ways. So she sat still. “Well,” said Mrs. Medlock. “What do you think of it?” “Nothing,” she answered. “I know nothing about such places.” That made Mrs. Medlock laugh a short sort of laugh. “Eh!” she said, “but you are like an old woman. Don’t you care?” “It doesn’t matter” said Mary, “whether I care or not.” “You are right enough there,” said Mrs. Medlock. “It doesn’t. What you’re to be kept at Misselthwaite Manor for I don’t know, unless because it’s the easiest way. He’s not going to trouble himself about you, that’s sure and certain. He never troubles himself about no one.” She stopped herself as if she had just remembered something in time.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—11
“He’s got a crooked back,” she said. “That set him wrong. He was a sour young man and got no good of all his money and big place till he was married.” Mary’s eyes turned toward her in spite of her intention not to seem to care. She had never thought of the hunchback’s being married and she was a trifle surprised. Mrs. Medlock saw this, and as she was a talkative woman she continued with more interest. This was one way of passing some of the time, at any rate. “She was a sweet, pretty thing and he’d have walked the world over to get her a blade o’ grass she wanted. Nobody thought she’d marry him, but she did, and people said she married him for his money. But she didn’t—she didn’t,” positively. “When she died—” Mary gave a little involuntary jump. “Oh! did she die!” she exclaimed, quite without meaning to. She had just remembered a French fairy story she had once read called “Riquet a la Houppe.” It had been about a poor hunchback and a beautiful princess and it had made her suddenly sorry for Mr. Archibald Craven. “Yes, she died,” Mrs. Medlock answered. “And it made him queerer than ever. He cares about nobody. He won’t see people. Most of the time he goes away, and when he is at Misselthwaite he shuts himself up in the West Wing and won’t let any one but Pitcher see him. Pitcher’s an old fellow, but he took care of him when he was a child and he knows his ways.” It sounded like something in a book and it did not make Mary feel cheerful. A house with a hundred rooms, nearly all shut up and with their doors locked—a house on the edge of a moor— whatsoever a moor was—sounded dreary. A man with a crooked back who shut himself up also! She stared out of the window with her lips pinched together, and it seemed quite natural that the rain should have begun to pour down in gray slanting lines and splash and stream down the windowpanes. If the pretty wife had been alive he might have made things cheerful by being something like her own mother and by running in and out and going to parties as she had done in frocks “full of lace.” But she was not there any more. “You needn’t expect to see him, because ten to one you won’t,” said Mrs. Medlock. “And you mustn’t expect that there will be people to talk to you. You’ll have to play about and look after yourself. You’ll be told what rooms you can go into and what rooms you’re to keep out of. There’s gardens enough. But when you’re in the house don’t go wandering and poking about. Mr. Craven won’t have it.” “I shall not want to go poking about,” said sour little Mary and just as suddenly as she had begun to be rather sorry for Mr. Archibald Craven she began to cease to be sorry and to think he was unpleasant enough to deserve all that had happened to him. And she turned her face toward the streaming panes of the window of the railway carriage and gazed out at the gray rain-storm which looked as if it would go on forever and ever. She watched it so long and steadily that the grayness grew heavier and heavier before her eyes and she fell asleep.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—12
CHAPTER III ACROSS THE MOOR She slept a long time, and when she awakened Mrs. Medlock had bought a lunchbasket at one of the stations and they had some chicken and cold beef and bread and butter and some hot tea. The rain seemed to be streaming down more heavily than ever and everybody in the station wore wet and glistening waterproofs. The guard lighted the lamps in the carriage, and Mrs. Medlock cheered up very much over her tea and chicken and beef. She ate a great deal and afterward fell asleep herself, and Mary sat and stared at her and watched her fine bonnet slip on one side until she herself fell asleep once more in the corner of the carriage,lulled by the splashing of the rain against the windows. It was quite dark when she awakened again. The train had stopped at a station and Mrs. Medlock was shaking her. “You have had a sleep!” she said. “It’s time to open your eyes! We’re at Thwaite Station and we’ve got a long drive before us.” Mary stood up and tried to keep her eyes open while Mrs. Medlock collected her parcels. The little girl did not offer to help her, because in India native servants always picked up or carried things and it seemed quite proper that other people should wait on one. The station was a small one and nobody but themselves seemed to be getting out of the train. The station-master spoke to Mrs. Medlock in a rough, good-natured way, pronouncing his words in a queer broad fashion which Mary found out afterward was Yorkshire. “I see tha’s got back,” he said. “An’ tha’s browt th’young ‘un with thee.” “Aye, that’s her,” answered Mrs. Medlock, speaking with a Yorkshire accent herself and jerking her head over her shoulder toward Mary. “How’s thy Missus?” “Well enow. Th’ carriage is waitin’ outside for thee.” A brougham stood on the road before the little outside platform. Mary saw that it was a smart carriage and that it was a smart footman who helped her in. His long waterproof coat and the waterproof covering of his hat were shining and dripping with rain as everything was, the burly station-master included. When he shut the door, mounted the box with the coachman, and they drove off, the little girl found herself seated in a comfortably cushioned corner, but she was not inclined to go to sleep again. She sat and looked out of the window,curious to see something of the road over which she was being driven to the queer place Mrs. Medlock had spoken of. She was not at all a timid child and she was not exactly frightened, but she felt that there was no knowing what might happen in a house with a hundred rooms nearly all shut up—a house standing on the edge of a moor. “What is a moor?” she said suddenly to Mrs. Medlock. “Look out of the window in about ten minutes and you’ll see,” the woman answered. “We’ve got to drive five miles across Missel Moor before we get to the Manor. You won’t see much because it’s a dark night, but you can see something.” Mary asked no more questions but waited in the darkness of her corner, keeping her eyes on the window. The carriage lamps cast rays of light a little distance ahead of them and she caught glimpses of the things they passed.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—13
After they had left the station they had driven through a tiny village and she had seen whitewashed cottages and the lights of a public house. Then they had passed a church and a vicarage and a little shop-window or so in a cottage with toys and sweets and odd things set our for sale. Then they were on the highroad and she saw hedges and trees. After that there seemed nothing different for a long time—or at least it seemed a long time to her. At last the horses began to go more slowly, as if they were climbing up-hill, and presently there seemed to be no more hedges and no more trees. She could see nothing, in fact, but a dense darkness on either side. She leaned forward and pressed her face against the window just as the carriage gave a big jolt. “Eh! We’re on the moor now sure enough,” said Mrs. Medlock. The carriage lamps shed a yellow light on a rough-looking road which seemed to be cut through bushes and low-growing things which ended in the great expanse of dark apparently spread out before and around them. A wind was rising and making a singular, wild, low, rushing sound. “It’s—it’s not the sea, is it?” said Mary, looking round at her companion. “No, not it,” answered Mrs. Medlock. “Nor it isn’t fields nor mountains, it’s just miles and miles and miles of wild land that nothing grows on but heather and gorse and broom, and nothing lives on but wild ponies and sheep.” “I feel as if it might be the sea, if there were water on it,” said Mary. “It sounds like the sea just now.” “That’s the wind blowing through the bushes,” Mrs. Medlock said.”It’s a wild, dreary enough place to my mind, though there’s plenty that likes it—particularly when the heather’s in bloom.” On and on they drove through the darkness, and though the rain stopped, the wind rushed by and whistled and made strange sounds. The road went up and down, and several times the carriage passed over a little bridge beneath which water rushed very fast with a great deal of noise. Mary felt as if the drive would never come to an end and that the wide, bleak moor was a wide expanse of black ocean through which she was passing on a strip of dry land. “I don’t like it,” she said to herself. “I don’t like it,” and she pinched her thin lips more tightly together. The horses were climbing up a hilly piece of road when she first caught sight of a light. Mrs. Medlock saw it as soon as she did and drew a long sigh of relief. “Eh, I am glad to see that bit o’ light twinkling,” she exclaimed. “It’s the light in the lodge window. We shall get a good cup of tea after a bit, at all events.” It was “after a bit,” as she said, for when the carriage passed through the park gates there was still two miles of avenue to drive through and the trees (which nearly met overhead) made it seem as if they were driving through a long dark vault. They drove out of the vault into a clear space and stopped before an immensely long but low-built house which seemed to ramble round a stone court. At first Mary thought that there were no lights at all in the windows, but as she got out of the
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 17—14
carriage she saw that one room in a corner upstairs showed a dull glow. The entrance door was a huge one made of massive, curiously shaped panels of oak studded with big iron nails and bound with great iron bars. It opened into an enormous hall, which was so dimly lighted that the faces in the portraits on the walls and the figures in the suits of armor made Mary feel that she did not want to look at them. As she stood on the stone floor she looked a very small, odd little black figure, and she felt as small and lost and odd as she looked. A neat, thin old man stood near the manservant who opened the door for them. “You are to take her to her room,” he said in a husky voice. “He doesn’t want to see her. He’s going to London in the morning.” “Very well, Mr. Pitcher,” Mrs. Medlock answered. “So long as I know what’s expected of me, I can manage.” “What’s expected of you, Mrs. Medlock,” Mr. Pitcher said, “is that you make sure that he’s not disturbed and that he doesn’t see what he doesn’t want to see.” And then Mary Lennox was led up a broad staircase and down a long corridor and up a short flight of steps and through another corridor and another, until a door opened in a wall and she found herself in a room with a fire in it and a supper on a table. Mrs. Medlock said unceremoniously:”Well, here you are! This room and the next are where you’ll live—and you must keep to them. Don’t you forget that!” It was in this way Mistress Mary arrived at Misselthwaite Manor and she had perhaps never felt quite so contrary in all her life.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—1
Lesson 18
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will be continue to read The Secret Garden. They will consider imagery as an important component of the story. Key Vocabulary: Corridor, Satiny Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: What does The Secret Garden look like in your mind? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, have the student draw a picture of what she thinks The Secret Garden looks like in her journal. She should also include five complete sentences explaining the depicted scene. Be sure to have students define the Lesson’s vocabulary terms in the journal as well. When students have completed this, assign Chapter Four of the novel. The student should then complete the study questions for Chapters Three and Four, which can be found in this Lesson. Chapters Three and Four Study Question Answers: Describe Mary’s journey with Mrs. Medlock. Answers will vary Do you think Mary will be able to adjust to her new life at Misselthwaite? What customs must she give up? What has Mr. Craven done to help Mary to adjust? Answers will vary. She's used to being completely waited on. Do you think the gardener will have an important influence on Mary in the future? Answers will vary. Why does Martha suspect Mary’s circumstances were so different in India? She says this occurs because there were “so many blacks there.” What does the robin do for Mary? The robin sings to Mary, which causes her delight because it is attempting to make friends with her, and Mary has no friends in the world.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—1
Lesson 18
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
What does The Secret Garden look like in your mind? Describe this in about five complete sentences in your journal. When you have finished, draw a picture of what you think The Secret Garden looks like in your journal as well. Be sure to look up definitions for the vocabulary words and put them in your journal. Finally, it is time to read Chapter Four of The Secret Garden! You can then answer the study questions for Chapters Three and Four that follow.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—2
Chapters Three and Four Study Questions: Describe Mary’s journey with Mrs. Medlock.
Do you think Mary will be able to adjust to her new life at Misselthwaite? What customs must she give up? What had Mr. Craven done to help Mary to adjust?
Do you think the gardener will have an important influence on Mary in the future?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—3
Why does Martha suspect Mary’s circumstances were so different in India?
What does the robin do for Mary?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—4
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER IV MARTHA When she opened her eyes in the morning it was because a young housemaid had come into her room to light the fire and was kneeling on the hearth-rug raking out the cinders noisily. Mary lay and watched her for a few moments and then began to look about the room. She had never seen a room at all like it and thought it curious and gloomy. The walls were covered with tapestry with a forest scene embroidered on it. There were fantastically dressed people under the trees and in the distance there was a glimpse of the turrets of a castle. There were hunters and horses and dogs and ladies. Mary felt as if she were in the forest with them. Out of a deep window she could see a great climbing stretch of land which seemed to have no trees on it, and to look rather like an endless, dull, purplish sea. “What is that?” she said, pointing out of the window. Martha, the young housemaid, who had just risen to her feet, looked and pointed also. “That there?” she said. “Yes.” “That’s th’ moor,” with a good-natured grin. “Does tha’ like it?” “No,” answered Mary. “I hate it.” “That’s because tha’rt not used to it,” Martha said, going back to her hearth. “Tha’ thinks it’s too big an’ bare now. But tha’ will like it.” “Do you?” inquired Mary. “Aye, that I do,” answered Martha, cheerfully polishing away at the grate. “I just love it. It’s none bare. It’s covered wi’ growin’ things as smells sweet. It’s fair lovely in spring an’ summer when th’ gorse an’ broom an’ heather’s in flower. It smells o’ honey an’ there’s such a lot o’ fresh air—an’ th’ sky looks so high an’ th’ bees an’ skylarks makes such a nice noise hummin’ an’ singin’. Eh! I wouldn’t live away from th’moor for anythin’.” Mary listened to her with a grave, puzzled expression. The native servants she had been used to in India were not in the least like this. They were obsequious and servile and did not presume to talk to their masters as if they were their equals. They made salaams and called them “protector of the poor” and names of that sort. Indian servants were commanded to do things, not asked. It was not the custom to say “please” and “thank you” and Mary had always slapped her Ayah in the face when she was angry. She wondered a little what this girl would do if one slapped her in the face. She was a round, rosy, good-natured-looking creature, but she had a sturdy way which made Mistress Mary wonder if she might not even slap back—if the person who slapped her was only a little girl.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—5
“You are a strange servant,” she said from her pillows, rather haughtily. Martha sat up on her heels, with her blacking-brush in her hand, and laughed, without seeming the least out of temper. “Eh! I know that,” she said. “If there was a grand Missus at Misselthwaite I should never have been even one of th’under house-maids. I might have been let to be scullerymaid but I’d never have been let upstairs. I’m too common an’ I talk too much Yorkshire. But this is a funny house for all it’s so grand. Seems like there’s neither Master nor Mistress except Mr. Pitcher an’ Mrs. Medlock. Mr. Craven, he won’t be troubled about anythin’ when he’s here, an’ he’s nearly always away. Mrs. Medlock gave me th’ place out o’ kindness. She told me she could never have done it if Misselthwaite had been like other big houses.” “Are you going to be my servant?” Mary asked, still in her imperious little Indian way. Martha began to rub her grate again. “I’m Mrs. Medlock’s servant,” she said stoutly. “An’ she’s Mr. Craven’s—but I’m to do the housemaid’s work up here an’ wait on you a bit. But you won’t need much waitin’ on.” “Who is going to dress me?” demanded Mary. Martha sat up on her heels again and stared. She spoke in broad Yorkshire in her amazement. “Canna’ tha’ dress thysen!” she said. “What do you mean? I don’t understand your language,” said Mary. “Eh! I forgot,” Martha said. “Mrs. Medlock told me I’d have to be careful or you wouldn’t know what I was sayin’. I mean can’t you put on your own clothes?” “No,” answered Mary, quite indignantly. “I never did in my life. My Ayah dressed me, of course.” “Well,” said Martha, evidently not in the least aware that she was impudent, “it’s time tha’ should learn. Tha’ cannot begin younger. It’ll do thee good to wait on thysen a bit. My mother always said she couldn’t see why grand people’s children didn’t turn out fair fools—what with nurses an’ bein’ washed an’ dressed an’ took out to walk as if they was puppies!” “It is different in India,” said Mistress Mary disdainfully. She could scarcely stand this. But Martha was not at all crushed. “Eh! I can see it’s different,” she answered almost sympathetically. “I dare say it’s because there’s such a lot o’ blacks there instead o’ respectable white people. When I heard you was comin’ from India I thought you was a black too.” Mary sat up in bed furious. “What!” she said. “What! You thought I was a native. You—you daughter of a pig!” Martha stared and looked hot. “Who are you callin’ names?” she said. “You needn’t be so vexed. That’s not th’ way for a young lady to talk. I’ve nothin’ against th’ blacks. When you read about ‘em
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—6
in tracts they’re always very religious. You always read as a black’s a man an’ a brother. I’ve never seen a black an’ I was fair pleased to think I was goin’ to see one close. When I come in to light your fire this mornin’ I crep’ up to your bed an’ pulled th’ cover back careful to look at you. An’ there you was,” disappointedly, “no more black than me—for all you’re so yeller.” Mary did not even try to control her rage and humiliation. “You thought I was a native! You dared! You don’t know anything about natives! They are not people—they’re servants who must salaam to you. You know nothing about India. You know nothing about anything!” She was in such a rage and felt so helpless before the girl’s simple stare, and somehow she suddenly felt so horribly lonely and far away from everything she understood and which understood her, that she threw herself face downward on the pillows and burst into passionate sobbing. She sobbed so unrestrainedly that good-natured Yorkshire Martha was a little frightened and quite sorry for her. She went to the bed and bent over her. “Eh! you mustn’t cry like that there!” she begged. “You mustn’t for sure. I didn’t know you’d be vexed. I don’t know anythin’ about anythin’— just like you said. I beg your pardon, Miss. Do stop cryin’.” There was something comforting and really friendly in her queer Yorkshire speech and sturdy way which had a good effect on Mary. She gradually ceased crying and became quiet. Martha looked relieved. “It’s time for thee to get up now,” she said. “Mrs. Medlock said I was to carry tha’ breakfast an’ tea an’ dinner into th’ room next to this. It’s been made into a nursery for thee. I’ll help thee on with thy clothes if tha’ll get out o’ bed. If th’ buttons are at th’ back tha’ cannot button them up tha’self.” When Mary at last decided to get up, the clothes Martha took from the wardrobe were not the ones she had worn when she arrived the night before with Mrs. Medlock. “Those are not mine,” she said. “Mine are black.” She looked the thick white wool coat and dress over,and added with cool approval: “Those are nicer than mine.” “These are th’ ones tha’ must put on,” Martha answered. “Mr. Craven ordered Mrs. Medlock to get ‘em in London. He said `I won’t have a child dressed in black wanderin’ about like a lost soul,’ he said. `It’d make the place sadder than it is. Put color on her.’ Mother she said she knew what he meant. Mother always knows what a body means. She doesn’t hold with black hersel’.” “I hate black things,” said Mary. The dressing process was one which taught them both something. Martha had “buttoned up” her little sisters and brothers but she had never seen a child who stood still and waited for another person to do things for her as if she had neither hands nor feet of her own. “Why doesn’t tha’ put on tha’ own shoes?” she said when Mary quietly held out her foot. “My Ayah did it,” answered Mary, staring. “It was the custom.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—7
She said that very often—”It was the custom.” The native servants were always saying it. If one told them to do a thing their ancestors had not done for a thousand years they gazed at one mildly and said, “It is not the custom” and one knew that was the end of the matter. It had not been the custom that Mistress Mary should do anything but stand and allow herself to be dressed like a doll, but before she was ready for breakfast she began to suspect that her life at Misselthwaite Manor would end by teaching her a number of things quite new to her—things such as putting on her own shoes and stockings, and picking up things she let fall. If Martha had been a well-trained fine young lady’s maid she would have been more subservient and respectful and would have known that it was her business to brush hair, and button boots, and pick things up and lay them away. She was, however, only an untrained Yorkshire rustic who had been brought up in a moorland cottage with a swarm of little brothers and sisters who had never dreamed of doing anything but waiting on themselves and on the younger ones who were either babies in arms or just learning to totter about and tumble over things. If Mary Lennox had been a child who was ready to be amused she would perhaps have laughed at Martha’s readiness to talk, but Mary only listened to her coldly and wondered at her freedom of manner. At first she was not at all interested, but gradually, as the girl rattled on in her goodtempered, homely way, Mary began to notice what she was saying. “Eh! you should see ‘em all,” she said. “There’s twelve of us an’ my father only gets sixteen shilling a week. I can tell you my mother’s put to it to get porridge for ‘em all. They tumble about on th’ moor an’ play there all day an’ mother says th’ air of th’ moor fattens ‘em. She says she believes they eat th’ grass same as th’ wild ponies do. Our Dickon, he’s twelve years old and he’s got a young pony he calls his own.” “Where did he get it?” asked Mary. “He found it on th’ moor with its mother when it was a little one an’ he began to make friends with it an’ give it bits o’ bread an’ pluck young grass for it. And it got to like him so it follows him about an’ it lets him get on its back. Dickon’s a kind lad an’ animals likes him.” Mary had never possessed an animal pet of her own and had always thought she should like one. So she began to feel a slight interest in Dickon, and as she had never before been interested in any one but herself, it was the dawning of a healthy sentiment. When she went into the room which had been made into a nursery for her, she found that it was rather like the one she had slept in. It was not a child’s room, but a grown-up person’s room, with gloomy old pictures on the walls and heavy old oak chairs. A table in the center was set with a good substantial breakfast. But she had always had a very small appetite, and she looked with something more than indifference at the first plate Martha set before her. “I don’t want it,” she said. “Tha’ doesn’t want thy porridge!” Martha exclaimed incredulously.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—8
“No.” “Tha’ doesn’t know how good it is. Put a bit o’ treacle on it or a bit o’ sugar.” “I don’t want it,” repeated Mary. “Eh!” said Martha. “I can’t abide to see good victuals go to waste. If our children was at this table they’d clean it bare in five minutes.” “Why?” said Mary coldly. “Why!” echoed Martha. “Because they scarce ever had their stomachs full in their lives. They’re as hungry as young hawks an’ foxes.” “I don’t know what it is to be hungry,” said Mary, with the indifference of ignorance. Martha looked indignant. “Well, it would do thee good to try it. I can see that plain enough,” she said outspokenly. “I’ve no patience with folk as sits an’ just stares at good bread an’ meat. My word! don’t I wish Dickon and Phil an’ Jane an’ th’ rest of ‘em had what’s here under their pinafores.” “Why don’t you take it to them?” suggested Mary. “It’s not mine,” answered Martha stoutly. “An’ this isn’t my day out. I get my day out once a month same as th’ rest. Then I go home an’ clean up for mother an’ give her a day’s rest.” Mary drank some tea and ate a little toast and some marmalade. “You wrap up warm an’ run out an’ play you,” said Martha. “It’ll do you good and give you some stomach for your meat.” Mary went to the window. There were gardens and paths and big trees, but everything looked dull and wintry. “Out? Why should I go out on a day like this?” “Well, if tha’ doesn’t go out tha’lt have to stay in, an’ what has tha’ got to do?” Mary glanced about her. There was nothing to do. When Mrs. Medlock had prepared the nursery she had not thought of amusement. Perhaps it would be better to go and see what the gardens were like. “Who will go with me?” she inquired. Martha stared. “You’ll go by yourself,” she answered. “You’ll have to learn to play like other children does when they haven’t got sisters and brothers. Our Dickon goes off on th’ moor by himself an’ plays for hours. That’s how he made friends with th’ pony. He’s got sheep on th’ moor that knows him, an’ birds as comes an’ eats out of his hand. However little there is to eat, he always saves a bit o’ his bread to coax his pets.” It was really this mention of Dickon which made Mary decide to go out, though she was not aware of it. There would be, birds outside though there would not be ponies or sheep. They would be different from the birds in India and it might amuse her to look at them. Martha found her coat and hat for her and a pair of stout little boots and she showed her her way downstairs. “If tha’
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—9
goes round that way tha’ll come to th’ gardens,” she said, pointing to a gate in a wall of shrubbery. “There’s lots o’ flowers in summer-time, but there’s nothin’ bloomin’ now.” She seemed to hesitate a second before she added, “One of th’ gardens is locked up. No one has been in it for ten years.” “Why?” asked Mary in spite of herself. Here was another locked door added to the hundred in the strange house. “Mr. Craven had it shut when his wife died so sudden. He won’t let no one go inside. It was her garden. He locked th’ door an’ dug a hole and buried th’ key. There’s Mrs. Medlock’s bell ringing—I must run.” After she was gone Mary turned down the walk which led to the door in the shrubbery. She could not help thinking about the garden which no one had been into for ten years. She wondered what it would look like and whether there were any flowers still alive in it. When she had passed through the shrubbery gate she found herself in great gardens, with wide lawns and winding walks with clipped borders. There were trees, and flower-beds, and evergreens clipped into strange shapes, and a large pool with an old gray fountain in its midst. But the flower-beds were bare and wintry and the fountain was not playing. This was not the garden which was shut up. How could a garden be shut up? You could always walk into a garden. She was just thinking this when she saw that, at the end of the path she was following, there seemed to be a long wall, with ivy growing over it. She was not familiar enough with England to know that she was coming upon the kitchen-gardens where the vegetables and fruit were growing. She went toward the wall and found that there was a green door in the ivy, and that it stood open. This was not the closed garden, evidently, and she could go into it. She went through the door and found that it was a garden with walls all round it and that it was only one of several walled gardens which seemed to open into one another. She saw another open green door, revealing bushes and pathways between beds containing winter vegetables. Fruit-trees were trained flat against the wall, and over some of the beds there were glass frames. The place was bare and ugly enough, Mary thought, as she stood and stared about her. It might be nicer in summer when things were green, but there was nothing pretty about it now. Presently an old man with a spade over his shoulder walked through the door leading from the second garden. He looked startled when he saw Mary, and then touched his cap. He had a surly old face, and did not seem at all pleased to see her—but then she was displeased with his garden and wore her “quite contrary” expression, and certainly did not seem at all pleased to see him. “What is this place?” she asked. “One o’ th’ kitchen-gardens,” he answered. “What is that?” said Mary, pointing through the other green door. “Another of ‘em,” shortly. “There’s another on t’other side o’ th’ wall an’ there’s th’ orchard t’other side o’ that.”
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—10
“Can I go in them?” asked Mary. “If tha’ likes. But there’s nowt to see.” Mary made no response. She went down the path and through the second green door. There, she found more walls and winter vegetables and glass frames, but in the second wall there was another green door and it was not open. Perhaps it led into the garden which no one had seen for ten years. As she was not at all a timid child and always did what she wanted to do, Mary went to the green door and turned the handle. She hoped the door would not open because she wanted to be sure she had found the mysterious garden—but it did open quite easily and she walked through it and found herself in an orchard. There were walls all round it also and trees trained against them, and there were bare fruit-trees growing in the winter-browned grass—but here was no green door to be seen anywhere. Mary looked for it, and yet when she had entered the upper end of the garden she had noticed that the wall did not seem to end with the orchard but to extend beyond it as if it enclosed a place at the other side. She could see the tops of trees above the wall, and when she stood still she saw a bird with a bright red breast sitting on the topmost branch of one of them, and suddenly he burst into his winter song—almost as if he had caught sight of her and was calling to her. She stopped and listened to him and somehow his cheerful, friendly little whistle gave her a pleased feeling—even a disagreeable little girl may be lonely, and the big closed house and big bare moor and big bare gardens had made this one feel as if there was no one left in the world but herself. If she had been an affectionate child, who had been used to being loved, she would have broken her heart, but even though she was “Mistress Mary Quite Contrary” she was desolate, and the bright-breasted little bird brought a look into her sour little face which was almost a smile. She listened to him until he flew away. He was not like an Indian bird and she liked him and wondered if she should ever see him again. Perhaps he lived in the mysterious garden and knew all about it. Perhaps it was because she had nothing whatever to do that she thought so much of the deserted garden. She was curious about it and wanted to see what it was like. Why had Mr. Archibald Craven buried the key? If he had liked his wife so much why did he hate her garden? She wondered if she should ever see him, but she knew that if she did she should not like him, and he would not like her, and that she should only stand and stare at him and say nothing, though she should be wanting dreadfully to ask him why he had done such a queer thing. “People never like me and I never like people,” she thought. And I never can talk as the Crawford children could. They were always talking and laughing and making noises.” She thought of the robin and of the way he seemed to sing his song at her, and as she remembered the tree-top he perched on she stopped rather suddenly on the path. “I believe that tree was in The Secret Garden—I feel sure it was,” she said. “There was a wall round the place and there was no door.” She walked back into the first kitchen-garden she had entered and found the old man digging there. She went and stood beside him and watched him a few moments in her cold little way. He
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—11
took no notice of her and so at last she spoke to him. “I have been into the other gardens,” she said. “There was nothin’ to prevent thee,” he answered crustily. “I went into the orchard.” “There was no dog at th’ door to bite thee,” he answered. “There was no door there into the other garden,” said Mary. “What garden?” he said in a rough voice, stopping his digging for a moment. “The one on the other side of the wall,” answered Mistress Mary. “There are trees there—I saw the tops of them. A bird with a red breast was sitting on one of them and he sang.” To her surprise the surly old weather-beaten face actually changed its expression. A slow smile spread over it and the gardener looked quite different. It made her think that it was curious how much nicer a person looked when he smiled. She had not thought of it before. He turned about to the orchard side of his garden and began to whistle—a low soft whistle. She could not understand how such a surly man could make such a coaxing sound. Almost the next moment a wonderful thing happened. She heard a soft little rushing flight through the air—and it was the bird with the red breast flying to them, and he actually alighted on the big clod of earth quite near to the gardener’s foot. “Here he is,” chuckled the old man, and then he spoke to the bird as if he were speaking to a child. “Where has tha’ been, tha’ cheeky little beggar?” he said. “I’ve not seen thee before today. Has tha, begun tha’ courtin’ this early in th’ season? Tha’rt too forrad.” The bird put his tiny head on one side and looked up at him with his soft bright eye which was like a black dewdrop. He seemed quite familiar and not the least afraid. He hopped about and pecked the earth briskly, looking for seeds and insects. It actually gave Mary a queer feeling in her heart, because he was so pretty and cheerful and seemed so like a person. He had a tiny plump body and a delicate beak, and slender delicate legs. “Will he always come when you call him?” she asked almost in a whisper. “Aye, that he will. I’ve knowed him ever since he was a fledgling. He come out of th’ nest in th’ other garden an’ when first he flew over th’ wall he was too weak to fly back for a few days an’ we got friendly. When he went over th’ wall again th’ rest of th’ brood was gone an’ he was lonely an’ he come back to me.” “What kind of a bird is he?” Mary asked. “Doesn’t tha’ know? He’s a robin redbreast an’ they’re th’ friendliest, curiousest birds alive. They’re almost as friendly as dogs—if you know how to get on with ‘em. Watch him peckin’ about
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—12
there an’ lookin’ round at us now an’ again. He knows we’re talkin’ about him.” It was the queerest thing in the world to see the old fellow. He looked at the plump little scarlet-waistcoated bird as if he were both proud and fond of him. “He’s a conceited one,” he chuckled. “He likes to hear folk talk about him. An’ curious—bless me, there never was his like for curiosity an’ meddlin’. He’s always comin’ to see what I’m plantin’. He knows all th’ things Mester Craven never troubles hissel’ to find out. He’s th’ head gardener, he is.” The robin hopped about busily pecking the soil and now and then stopped and looked at them a little. Mary thought his black dewdrop eyes gazed at her with great curiosity. It really seemed as if he were finding out all about her. The queer feeling in her heart increased. “Where did the rest of the brood fly to?” she asked. “There’s no knowin’. The old ones turn ‘em out o’ their nest an’ make ‘em fly an’ they’re scattered before you know it. This one was a knowin’ one an, he knew he was lonely.” Mistress Mary went a step nearer to the robin and looked at him very hard. “I’m lonely,” she said. She had not known before that this was one of the things which made her feel sour and cross. She seemed to find it out when the robin looked at her and she looked at the robin. The old gardener pushed his cap back on his bald head and stared at her a minute. “Art tha’ th’ little wench from India?” he asked. Mary nodded. “Then no wonder tha’rt lonely. Tha’lt be lonlier before tha’s done,” he said. He began to dig again, driving his spade deep into the rich black garden soil while the robin hopped about very busily employed. “What is your name?” Mary inquired. He stood up to answer her. “Ben Weatherstaff,” he answered, and then he added with a surly chuckle, “I’m lonely myself ’ except when he’s with me,” and he jerked his thumb toward the robin. “He’s th’ only friend I’ve got.” “I have no friends at all,” said Mary. “I never had. My Ayah didn’t like me and I never played with any one.” It is a Yorkshire habit to say what you think with blunt frankness, and old Ben Weatherstaff was a Yorkshire moor man. “Tha’ an’ me are a good bit alike,” he said. “We was wove out of th’ same cloth. We’re neither of us good lookin’ an’ we’re both of us as sour as we look. We’ve got the same nasty tempers, both of us, I’ll warrant.” This was plain speaking, and Mary Lennox had never heard the truth about herself in her life. Native servants always salaamed and submitted to you, whatever you did. She had never thought much about her looks, but she wondered if she was as unattractive as Ben Weatherstaff and she also wondered if she looked as sour as he had looked before the robin came. She actually began to wonder also if she was “nasty tempered.” She felt uncomfortable. Suddenly a clear rippling little sound broke out near her and she turned round. She was standing a few feet from a young apple-tree and the robin had flown on to one of its branches and had burst
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 18—13
out into a scrap of a song. Ben Weatherstaff laughed outright. “What did he do that for?” asked Mary. “He’s made up his mind to make friends with thee,”replied Ben. “Dang me if he hasn’t took a fancy to thee.” “To me?” said Mary, and she moved toward the little tree softly and looked up. “Would you make friends with me?” she said to the robin just as if she was speaking to a person. “Would you?” And she did not say it either in her hard little voice or in her imperious Indian voice, but in a tone so soft and eager and coaxing that Ben Weatherstaff was as surprised as she had been when she heard him whistle. “Why,” he cried out, “tha’ said that as nice an’ human as if tha’ was a real child instead of a sharp old woman. Tha’ said it almost like Dickon talks to his wild things on th’ moor.” “Do you know Dickon?” Mary asked, turning round rather in a hurry. “Everybody knows him. Dickon’s wanderin’ about everywhere. Th’ very blackberries an’ heather-bells knows him. I warrant th’ foxes shows him where their cubs lies an’ th’ skylarks doesn’t hide their nests from him.” Mary would have liked to ask some more questions. She was almost as curious about Dickon as she was about the deserted garden. But just that moment the robin, who had ended his song, gave a little shake of his wings, spread them and flew away. He had made his visit and had other things to do. “He has flown over the wall!” Mary cried out, watching him. “He has flown into the orchard— he has flown across the other wall—into the garden where there is no door!” “He lives there,” said old Ben. “He came out o’ th’ egg there. If he’s courtin’, he’s makin’ up to some young madam of a robin that lives among th’ old rose-trees there.” “Rose-trees,” said Mary. “Are there rose-trees?” Ben Weatherstaff took up his spade again and began to dig. “There was ten year’ ago,” he mumbled. “I should like to see them,” said Mary. “Where is the green door? There must be a door somewhere.” Ben drove his spade deep and looked as uncompanionable as he had looked when she first saw him. “There was ten year’ ago, but there isn’t now,” he said. “No door!” cried Mary. “There must be.” “None as anyone can find, an’ none as is any one’s business. Don’t you be a meddlesome wench an’ poke your nose where it’s no cause to go. Here, I must go on with my work. Get you gone an’ play you. I’ve no more time.” And he actually stopped digging, threw his spade over his shoulder and walked off, without even glancing at her or saying good-by.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—1
Lesson 19
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will continue to read and understand The Secret Garden, and will continue to investigate this novel through prediction of what will happen next. Key Vocabulary: Porridge, Biscuit, Matted, Alcove Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: Consider what has happened so far in the novel. What do you think will happen next in the novel? What makes you think this? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Have the student predict what he thinks will happen next in the novel in his journal. When he has completed this task, assign Chapters Five and Six of the novel and the corresponding study questions. When the student has finished reading, make sure to remind the student to add the definitions of this Lesson’s vocabulary terms to his journal. Lesson Wrap-up: Instruct the student to write a diary entry as if he is Mary writing on the evening she finds the key. Ask him to explain how he thinks Mary feels and what Mary is now thinking about. If, he is having trouble, encourage him to consider the element of perspective as previously learned. Coach the student to look at the story as if he were in Mary’s shoes.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—2
Chapters Five and Six Study Question Answers: Why do you think Mary continues to believe there is a door to the garden? Answers will vary Name four good things that have happened to Mary since she came to Misselthwaithe Manor. Answers will vary Do you see any positive changes in Mary? Answers will vary How does Mary’s time outdoors begin to change her? She begins to grow stronger and more healthy and the search for The Secret Garden begins to develop her imagination. How did Mrs. Craven die? She would always sit in a rose-covered bower at the top of one of the trees, and one day, she died of injuries caused from the branch giving out and her falling from the tree. How does Mary keep herself occupied in the rain? She decides to search Misselthwaite’s library and explore all of the hundreds of rooms. What kinds of things does Mary discover on her search? She sees many portraits of children, finds a collection of ivory elephants, and a family of gray mice living in a couch cushion
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—1
Lesson 19
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Consider what has happened so far in the novel. What do you think will happen next in the novel? What makes you think this? Once you have made your predictions, read Chapters Five and Six of the novel and work through the study questions after completion of the reading. Be sure to add the definitions of this Lesson’s vocabulary terms to your journal. Lesson Wrap-up: Write a diary entry as if you are Mary writing in her diary on the evening she finds the key. Explain how you think Mary feels and what Mary is now thinking about. To prepare for this writing assignment, be sure to pay particular attention to what Mary thinks and feels as you read the chapters.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—2
Chapters Five and Six Study Questions Why do you think Mary continues to believe there is a door to the garden?
Name four good things that have happened to Mary since she came to Misselthwaithe Manor.
Do you see any positive changes in Mary?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—3
How does Mary’s time outdoors begin to change her?
How did Mrs. Craven die?
How does Mary keep herself occupied in the rain?
What kinds of things does Mary discover on her search?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—4
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER V THE CRY IN THE CORRIDOR At first each day which passed by for Mary Lennox was exactly like the others. Every morning she awoke in her tapestried room and found Martha kneeling upon the hearth building her fire; every morning she ate her breakfast in the nursery which had nothing amusing in it; and after each breakfast she gazed out of the window across to the huge moor which seemed to spread out on all sides and climb up to the sky, and after she had stared for a while she realized that if she did not go out she would have to stay in and do nothing—and so she went out. She did not know that this was the best thing she could have done, and she did not know that, when she began to walk quickly or even run along the paths and down the avenue, she was stirring her slow blood and making herself stronger by fighting with the wind which swept down from the moor. She ran only to make herself warm, and she hated the wind which rushed at her face and roared and held her back as if it were some giant she could not see. But the big breaths of rough fresh air blown over the heather filled her lungs with something which was good for her whole thin body and whipped some red color into her cheeks and brightened her dull eyes when she did not know anything about it. But after a few days spent almost entirely out of doors she wakened one morning knowing what it was to be hungry, and when she sat down to her breakfast she did not glance disdainfully at her porridge and push it away, but took up her spoon and began to eat it and went on eating it until her bowl was empty. “Tha’ got on well enough with that this mornin’, didn’t tha’?” said Martha. “It tastes nice today,” said Mary, feeling a little surprised herself. “It’s th’ air of th’ moor that’s givin’ thee stomach for tha’ victuals,” answered Martha. It’s luckyfor thee that tha’s got victuals as well as appetite. There’s been twelve in our cottage as had th’ stomach an’ nothin’ to put in it. You go on playin’ you out o’ doors every day an’ you’ll get some flesh on your bones an’ you won’t be so yeller.” “I don’t play,” said Mary. “I have nothing to play with.” “Nothin’ to play with!” exclaimed Martha. “Our children plays with sticks and stones. They just runs about an’ shouts an’ looks at things.” Mary did not shout, but she looked at things. There was nothing else to do. She walked round and round the gardens and wandered about the paths in the park. Sometimes she looked for Ben Weatherstaff, but though several times she saw him at work he was too busy to look at her or was too surly. Once when she was walking toward him he picked up his spade and turned away as if he did it on purpose.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—5
One place she went to oftener than to any other. It was the long walk outside the gardens with the walls round them. There were bare flower-beds on either side of it and against the walls ivy grew thickly. There was one part of the wall where the creeping dark green leaves were more bushy than elsewhere. It seemed as if for a long time that part had been neglected. The rest of it had been clipped and made to look neat, but at this lower end of the walk it had not been trimmed at all. A few days after she had talked to Ben Weatherstaff, Mary stopped to notice this and wondered why it was so. She had just paused and was looking up at a long spray of ivy swinging in the wind when she saw a gleam of scarlet and heard a brilliant chirp, and there, on the top of the wall, forward perched Ben Weatherstaff ’s robin redbreast, tilting forward to look at her with his small head on one side. “Oh!” she cried out, “is it you—is it you?” And it did not seem at all queer to her that she spoke to him as if she were sure that he would understand and answer her. He did answer. He twittered and chirped and hopped along the wall as if he were telling her all sorts of things. It seemed to Mistress Mary as if she understood him, too,though he was not speaking in words. It was as if he said: “Good morning! Isn’t the wind nice? Isn’t the sun nice? Isn’t everything nice? Let us both chirp and hop and twitter. Come on! Come on!” Mary began to laugh, and as he hopped and took little flights along the wall she ran after him. Poor little thin, sallow, ugly Mary—she actually looked almost pretty for a moment. “I like you! I like you!” she cried out, pattering down the walk; and she chirped and tried to whistle, which last she did not know how to do in the least. But the robin seemed to be quite satisfied and chirped and whistled back at her. At last he spread his wings and made a darting flight to the top of a tree, where he perched and sang loudly. That reminded Mary of the first time she had seen him. He had been swinging on a tree-top then and she had been standing in the orchard. Now she was on the other side of the orchard and standing in the path outside a wall—much lower down—and there was the same tree inside. “It’s in the garden no one can go into,” she said to herself. “It’s the garden without a door. He lives in there. How I wish I could see what it is like!” She ran up the walk to the green door she had entered the first morning. Then she ran down the path through the other door and then into the orchard, and when she stood and looked up there was the tree on the other side of the wall, and there was the robin just finishing his song and, beginning to preen his feathers with his beak. “It is the garden,” she said. “I am sure it is.” She walked round and looked closely at that side of the orchard wall, but she only found what she had found before—that there was no door in it. Then she ran through the kitchen-gardens again and out into the walk outside the long ivy-covered wall, and she walked to the end of it and looked at it, but there was no door; and then she walked to the other end, looking again, but there was no door. “It’s very queer,” she said. “Ben Weatherstaff said there was no door and there is no door. But there must have been one ten years ago, because Mr. Craven buried the key.” This gave her so much
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—6
to think of that she began to be quite interested and feel that she was not sorry that she had come to Misselthwaite Manor. In India she had always felt hot and too languid to care much about anything. The fact was that the fresh wind from the moor had begun to blow the cobwebs out of her young brain and to waken her up a little. She stayed out of doors nearly all day, and when she sat down to her supper at night she felt hungry and drowsy and comfortable. She did not feel cross when Martha chattered away. She felt as if she rather liked to hear her, and at last she thought she would ask her a question. She asked it after she had finished her supper and had sat down on the hearth-rug before the fire. “Why did Mr. Craven hate the garden?” she said. She had made Martha stay with her and Martha had not objected at all. She was very young, and used to a crowded cottage full of brothers and sisters, and she found it dull in the great servants’ hall downstairs where the footman and upper-housemaids made fun of her Yorkshire speech and looked upon her as a common little thing, and sat and whispered among themselves. Martha liked to talk, and the strange child who had lived in India, and been waited upon by “blacks,” was novelty enough to attract her. She sat down on the hearth herself without waiting to be asked. “Art tha’ thinkin’ about that garden yet?” she said. “I knew tha’ would. That was just the way with me when I first heard about it.” “Why did he hate it?” Mary persisted. Martha tucked her feet under her and made herself quite comfortable. “Listen to th’ wind wutherin’ round the house,” she said. “You could bare stand up on the moor if you was out on it tonight.” Mary did not know what “wutherin’” meant until she listened, and then she understood. It must mean that hollow shuddering sort of roar which rushed round and round the house as if the giant no one could see were buffeting it and beating at the walls and windows to try to break in. But one knew he could not get in, and somehow it made one feel very safe and warm inside a room with a red coal fire. “But why did he hate it so?” she asked, after she had listened. She intended to know if Martha did. Then Martha gave up her store of knowledge. “Mind,” she said, “Mrs. Medlock said it’s not to be talked about. There’s lots o’ things in this place that’s not to be talked over. That’s Mr. Craven’s orders. His troubles are none servants’ business, he says. But for th’ garden he wouldn’t be like he is. It was Mrs. Craven’s garden that she had made when first they were married an’ she just loved it, an’ they used to ‘tend the flowers themselves. An’ none o’ th’ gardeners was ever let to go in. Him an’ her used to go in an’ shut th’ door an’ stay there hours an’ hours, readin’ and talkin’. An, she was just a bit of a girl an’ there was an old tree with a branch bent like a seat on it. An’ she made roses grow over it an’ she used to sit there. But one day when she was sittin’ there th’ branch broke an’ she fell on th’ ground an’ was hurt so bad that next day she died. Th’ doctors thought he’d go out o’ his mind an’ die, too. That’s why he hates it. No one’s never gone in since, an’ he won’t let any one talk about it.” Mary did not ask any more questions. She looked at the red fire and listened to the ind “wutherin’.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—7
“It seemed to be “wutherin’” louder than ever. At that moment a very good thing was happening to her. Four good things had happened to her, in fact, since she came to Misselthwaite Manor. She had felt as if she had understood a robin and that he had understood her; she had run in the wind until her blood had grown warm; she had been healthily hungry for the first time in her life;and she had found out what it was to be sorry for some one. But as she was listening to the wind she began to listen to something else. She did not know what it was, because at first she could scarcely distinguish it from the wind itself. It was a curious sound—it seemed almost as if a child were crying somewhere. Sometimes the wind sounded rather like a child crying, but presently Mistress Mary felt quite sure this sound was inside the house, not outside it. It was far away, but it was inside. She turned round and looked at Martha. “Do you hear any one crying?” she said. Martha suddenly looked confused. “No,” she answered. “It’s th’ wind. Sometimes it sounds like as if some one was lost on th’ moor an’ wailin’. It’s got all sorts o’ sounds.” “But listen,” said Mary. “It’s in the house—down one of those long corridors.” And at that very moment a door must have been opened somewhere downstairs; for a great rushing draft blew along the passage and the door of the room they sat in was blown open with a crash, and as they both jumped to their feet the light was blown out and the crying sound was swept down the far corridor so that it was to be heard more plainly than ever. “There!” said Mary. “I told you so! It is some one crying—and it isn’t a grown-up person.” Martha ran and shut the door and turned the key, but before she did it they both heard the sound of a door in some far passage shutting with a bang, and then everything was quiet, for even the wind ceased “wutherin’” for a few moments. “It was th’ wind,” said Martha stubbornly. “An’ if it wasn’t, it was little Betty Butterworth, th’ scullery-maid. She’s had th’ toothache all day.” But something troubled and awkward in her manner made Mistress Mary stare very hard at her. She did not believe she was speaking the truth.
CHAPTER VI “THERE WAS SOME ONE CRYING—THERE WAS!” The next day the rain poured down in torrents again, and when Mary looked out of her window the moor was almost hidden by gray mist and cloud. There could be no going out today. “What do you do in your cottage when it rains like this?”she asked Martha. “Try to keep from under each other’s feet mostly,” Martha answered. “Eh! there does seem a lot of us then. Mother’s a good-tempered woman but she gets fair moithered. The biggest ones goes out in th’ cow-shed and plays there. Dickon he doesn’t mind th’ wet. He goes out just th’ same as if th’ sun was shinin’. He says he sees things on rainy days as doesn’t show when it’s fair weather. He once found a little fox cub half drowned in its hole and he brought it home in th’ bosom of his
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—8
shirt to keep it warm. Its mother had been killed nearby an’ th’ hole was swum out an’ th’ rest o’ th’ litter was dead. He’s got it at home now. He found a half-drowned young crow another time an’ he brought it home, too, an’ tamed it. It’s named Soot because it’s so black, an’ it hops an’ flies about with him everywhere.” The time had come when Mary had forgotten to resent Martha’s familiar talk. She had even begun to find it interesting and to be sorry when she stopped or went away. The stories she had been told by her Ayah when she lived in India had been quite unlike those Martha had to tell about the moorland cottage which held fourteen people who lived in four little rooms and never had quite enough to eat. The children seemed to tumble about and amuse themselves like a litter of rough, good-natured collie puppies. Mary was most attracted by the mother and Dickon. When Martha told stories of what “mother” said or did they always sounded comfortable. “If I had a raven or a fox cub I could play with it,” said Mary. “But I have nothing.” Martha looked perplexed. “Can tha’ knit?” she asked. “No,” answered Mary. “Can tha’sew?” “No.” “Can tha’ read?” “Yes.” “Then why doesn’t tha, read somethin’, or learn a bit o’ spellin’? Tha’st old enough to be learnin’ thy book a good bit now.” “I haven’t any books,” said Mary. “Those I had were left in India.” “That’s a pity,” said Martha. “If Mrs. Medlock’d let thee go into th’ library, there’s thousands o’ books there.” Mary did not ask where the library was, because she was suddenly inspired by a new idea. She made up her mind to go and find it herself. She was not troubled about Mrs. Medlock. Mrs. Medlock seemed always to be in her comfortable housekeeper’s sitting-room downstairs. In this queer place one scarcely ever saw any one at all. In fact, there was no one to see but the servants, and when their master was away they lived a luxurious life below stairs, where there was a huge kitchen hung about with shining brass and pewter, and a large servants’ hall where there were four or five abundant meals eaten every day, and where a great deal of lively romping went on when Mrs. Medlock was out of the way.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—9
Mary’s meals were served regularly, and Martha waited on her, but no one troubled themselves about her in the least. Mrs. Medlock came and looked at her every day or two, but no one inquired what she did or told her what to do. She supposed that perhaps this was the English way of treating children. In India she had always been attended by her Ayah, who had followed her about and waited on her, hand and foot. She had often been tired of her company. Now she was followed by nobody and was learning to dress herself because Martha looked as though she thought she was silly and stupid when she wanted to have things handed to her and put on. “Hasn’t tha’ got good sense?” she said once, when Mary had stood waiting for her to put on her gloves for her. “Our Susan Ann is twice as sharp as thee an’ she’s only four year’ old. Sometimes tha’ looks fair soft in th’ head.” Mary had worn her contrary scowl for an hour after that, but it made her think several entirely new things. She stood at the window for about ten minutes this morning after Martha had swept up the hearth for the last time and gone downstairs. She was thinking over the new idea which had come to her when she heard of the library. She did not care very much about the library itself, because she had read very few books; but to hear of it brought back to her mind the hundred rooms with closed doors. She wondered if they were all really locked and what she would find if she could get into any of them. Were there a hundred really? Why shouldn’t she go and see how many doors she could count? It would be something to do on this morning when she could not go out. She had never been taught to ask permission to do things, and she knew nothing at all about authority, so she would not have thought it necessary to ask Mrs. Medlock if she might walk about the house, even if she had seen her. She opened the door of the room and went into the corridor, and then she began her wanderings. It was a long corridor and it branched into other corridors and it led her up short flights of steps which mounted to others again. There were doors and doors, and there were pictures on the walls. Sometimes they were pictures of dark, curious landscapes, but oftenest they were portraits of men and women in queer, grand costumes made of satin and velvet. She found herself in one long gallery whose walls were covered with these portraits. She had never thought there could be so many in any house. She walked slowly down this place and stared at the faces which also seemed to stare at her. She felt as if they were wondering what a little girl from India was doing in their house. Some were pictures of children—little girls in thick satin frocks which reached to their feet and stood out about them, and boys with puffed sleeves and lace collars and long hair, or with big ruffs around their necks. She always stopped to look at the children, and wonder what their names were, and where they had gone, and why they wore such odd clothes. There was a stiff, plain little girl rather like herself. She wore a green brocade dress and held a green parrot on her finger. Her eyes had a sharp, curious look. “Where do you live now?” said Mary aloud to her. “I wish you were here. “Surely no other little girl ever spent such a queer morning. It seemed as if there was no one in all the huge rambling house but her own small self, wandering about upstairs and down, through narrow passages and wide ones, where it seemed to her that no one but herself had ever walked. Since so many rooms had been built, people must have lived in them, but it all seemed so empty that she could not quite believe it true. It was not until she climbed to the second floor that she thought of turning the handle of a
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—10
door. All the doors were shut, as Mrs. Medlock had said they were, but at last she put her hand on the handle of one of them and turned it. She was almost frightened for a moment when she felt that it turned without difficulty and that when she pushed upon the door itself it slowly and heavily opened. It was a massive door and opened into a big bedroom. There were embroidered hangings on the wall, and inlaid furniture such as she had seen in India stood about the room. A broad window with leaded panes looked out upon the moor; and over the mantel was another portrait of the stiff, plain little girl who seemed to stare at her more curiously than ever. “Perhaps she slept here once,” said Mary. “She stares at me so that she makes me feel queer.” After that she opened more doors and more. She saw so many rooms that she became quite tired and began to think that there must be a hundred, though she had not counted them. In all of them there were old pictures or old tapestries with strange scenes worked on them. There were curious pieces of furniture and curious ornaments in nearly all of them. In one room, which looked like a lady’s sitting-room, the hangings were all embroidered velvet, and in a cabinet were about a hundred little elephants made of ivory. They were of different sizes, and some had their mahouts or palanquins on their backs. Some were much bigger than the others and some were so tiny that they seemed only babies. Mary had seen carved ivory in India and she knew all about elephants. She opened the door of the cabinet and stood on a footstool and played with these for quite a long time. When she got tired she set the elephants in order and shut the door of the cabinet. In all her wanderings through the long corridors and the empty rooms, she had seen nothing alive; but in this room she saw something. Just after she had closed the cabinet door she heard a tiny rustling sound. It made her jump and look around at the sofa by the fireplace, from which it seemed to come. In the corner of the sofa there was a cushion, and in the velvet which covered it there was a hole, and out of the hole peeped a tiny head with a pair of frightened eyes in it. Mary crept softly across the room to look. The bright eyes belonged to a little gray mouse, and the mouse had eaten a hole into the cushion and made a comfortable nest there. Six baby mice were cuddled up asleep near her. If there was no one else alive in the hundred rooms there were seven mice who did not look lonely at all. “If they wouldn’t be so frightened I would take them back with me,” said Mary. She had wandered about long enough to feel too tired to wander any farther, and she turned back. Two or three times she lost her way by turning down the wrong corridor and was obliged to ramble up and down until she found the right one; but at last she reached her own floor again, though she was some distance from her own room and did not know exactly where she was. “I believe I have taken a wrong turning again,” she said, standing still at what seemed the end of a short passage with tapestry on the wall. “I don’t know which way to go. How still everything is!” It was while she was standing here and just after she had said this that the stillness was broken by a sound. It was another cry, but not quite like the one she had heard last night; it was only a short one, a fretful childish whine muffled by passing through walls.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 19—11
“It’s nearer than it was,” said Mary, her heart beating rather faster. “And it is crying.” She put her hand accidentally upon the tapestry near her, and then sprang back, feeling quite startled. The tapestry was the covering of a door which fell open and showed her that there was another part of the corridor behind it,and Mrs. Medlock was coming up it with her bunch of keys in her hand and a very cross look on her face. “What are you doing here?” she said, and she took Mary by the arm and pulled her away. “What did I tell you?” “I turned round the wrong corner,” explained Mary. “I didn’t know which way to go and I heard some one crying.” She quite hated Mrs. Medlock at the moment, but she hated her more the next. “You didn’t hear anything of the sort,” said the housekeeper. “You come along back to your own nursery or I’ll box your ears.” And she took her by the arm and half pushed, half pulled her up one passage and down another until she pushed her in at the door of her own room. “Now,” she said, “you stay where you’re told to stay or you’ll find yourself locked up. The master had better get you a governess, same as he said he would. You’re one that needs some one to look sharp after you. I’ve got enough to do.” She went out of the room and slammed the door after her, and Mary went and sat on the hearth-rug, pale with rage. She did not cry, but ground her teeth. “There was some one crying—there was—there was!” she said to herself. She had heard it twice now, and sometime she would find out. She had found out a great deal this morning. She felt as if she had been on a long journey, and at any rate she had had something to amuse her all the time, and she had played with the ivory elephants and had seen the gray mouse and its babies in their nest in the velvet cushion.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 20—1
Lesson 20
Studying Characters: Compare and Contrast The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will practice gauging the meaning of vocabulary words from the context of the reading assignment. Key Vocabulary: Guardian, Solemn, Context Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: How is vocabulary useful when reading a story? What do you do when you come to a word that you don’t know in a story? Do you skip it? Do you try to figure it out through the context of the sentence? Do you look it up? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will begin the Lesson by responding to the Engaging Question. Then, assign the vocabulary terms for this Lesson to be defined in her journal without using a dictionary; instead the student is to refer to the words’ uses in the novel as the means for determining the definitions of these terms. Explain that this activity relies upon using context clues. Next, have the student read Chapters Seven, Eight, and Nine of the novel and answer the Study Questions for these chapters. The student should also create a Venn diagram illustrating the similarities and differences between the characters of Mary and Dickon for the assessment. If there is not enough time for the student to complete the Venn diagram, it should be taken home to be finished.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 20—2
Chapters Seven through Nine Study Questions: Why do you think the question Martha’s mother once asked her (“How does tho’ like thyself?”) brought Martha to her senses? What do you think Martha’s saying this to Mary does for Mary? Answers will vary How would you describe Martha’s personality? What do you think Mary could learn from her? Martha is humble and realistic. Mary could learn to be more self reliant form Martha. What does Ben tell Mary about the earth? That the earth is glad because it has been anxiously awaiting spring. What does Mary find in the garden and how? The bird leads Mary to a mound of freshly turned earth where she finds a key which she believes to be the key to The Secret Garden. Why does Mary want to find the garden? She wants to go inside and invent her own games and play them alone, where no one else would know where she is and could not find her. What does Mary find inside The Secret Garden? She finds many rosebushes, some that have grown as large as trees. What does Mary ask Dickon to get in the letter she writes? She asks him to buy her tools and flower seeds on one of his trips to Thwaite so that she can garden. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: If there is not enough time for the student to complete the Venn diagram, it should be taken home to be finished. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student create a Venn diagram, illustrating the similarities and differences between the characters of Mary and Dickon. If class time is limited, assign this activity as homework.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 20—1
Lesson 20
Studying Characters: Compare and Contrast The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
How is vocabulary useful when reading a story? What do you do when you come to a word that you don’t know in a story? Do you skip it? Do you try to figure it out through the context of the sentence? Do you look it up? Define the vocabulary terms for this Lesson in your journal without using a dictionary. Instead use the copy of the novel to determine the definitions of these terms using context clues. Then read Chapters Seven, Eight, and Nine of the novel and answer the study questions for these chapters. Lesson Wrap-Up: Create a Venn diagram, illustrating the similarities and differences between the characters of Mary and Dickon. If you are unable to complete this during class time, please take it home to finish.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 20—2
Chapters Seven thru Nine Study Questions Why do you think the question Martha’s mother once asked her (“How does tho’ like thyself?”) brought Martha to her senses? What do you think Martha’s saying this to Mary does for Mary?
How would you describe Martha’s personality? What do you think Mary could learn from her?
What does Ben tell Mary about the earth?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 20—3
What does Mary find in the garden and how?
Why does Mary want to find the garden?
What are things like after the rains in India?
What does Mary ask Dickon to get in the letter she writes?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 20—4
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER VII THE KEY TO THE GARDEN Two days after this, when Mary opened her eyes she sat upright in bed immediately, and called to Martha. “Look at the moor! Look at the moor!” The rainstorm had ended and the gray mist and clouds had been swept away in the night by the wind. The wind itself had ceased and a brilliant, deep blue sky arched high over the moorland. Never, never had Mary dreamed of a sky so blue. In India skies were hot and blazing; this was of a deep cool blue which almost seemed to sparkle like the waters of some lovely bottomless lake, and here and there, high, high in the arched blueness floated small clouds of snow-white fleece. The far-reaching world of the moor itself looked softly blue instead of gloomy purple-black or awful dreary gray. “Aye,” said Martha with a cheerful grin. “Th’ storm’s over for a bit. It does like this at this time o’ th’ year. It goes off in a night like it was pretendin’ it had never been here an’ never meant to come again. That’s because th’ springtime’s on its way. It’s a long way off yet, but it’s comin’.” “I thought perhaps it always rained or looked dark in England,” Mary said. “Eh! no!” said Martha, sitting up on her heels among her black lead brushes. “Nowt o’ th’ soart!” “What does that mean?” asked Mary seriously. In India the natives spoke different dialects which only a few people understood, so she was not surprised when Martha used words she did not know. Martha laughed as she had done the first morning. “There now,” she said. “I’ve talked broad Yorkshire again like Mrs. Medlock said I mustn’t. `Nowt o’ th’ soart’ means `nothin’-of-the-sort,’” slowly and carefully, “but it takes so long to say it. Yorkshire’s th’ sunniest place on earth when it is sunny. I told thee tha’d like th’ moor after a bit. Just you wait till you see th’ gold-colored gorse blossoms an’ th’ blossoms o’ th’ broom, an’ th’ heather flowerin’, all purple bells, an’hundreds o’ butterflies flutterin’ an’ bees hummin’ an’skylarks soarin’ up an’ singin’. You’ll want to get out on it as sunrise an’ live out on it all day like Dickon does.” “Could I ever get there?” asked Mary wistfully, looking through her window at the far-off blue. It was so new and big and wonderful and such a heavenly color. “I don’t know,” answered Martha. “Tha’s never used tha’ legs since tha’ was born, it seems to me. Tha’ couldn’t walk five mile. It’s five mile to our cottage.” “I should like to see your cottage.” Martha stared at her a moment curiously before she took up her polishing brush and began to rub the grate again. She was thinking that the small plain face did not look quite as sour at this moment as it had done the first morning she saw it. It looked just a trifle like little Susan Ann’s when she wanted something very much.
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“I’ll ask my mother about it,” she said. “She’s one o’ them that nearly always sees a way to do things. It’s my day out today an’ I’m goin’ home. Eh! I am glad. Mrs. Medlock thinks a lot o’ mother. Perhaps she could talk to her.” “I like your mother,” said Mary. “I should think tha’ did,” agreed Martha, polishing away. “I’ve never seen her,” said Mary. “No, tha’ hasn’t,” replied Martha. She sat up on her heels again and rubbed the end of her nose with the back of her hand as if puzzled for a moment, but she ended quite positively. “Well, she’s that sensible an’ hard workin’ an’ good-natured an’ clean that no one could help likin’ her whether they’d seen her or not. When I’m goin’ home to her on my day out I just jump for joy when I’m crossin’ the moor.” “I like Dickon,” added Mary. “And I’ve never seen him.” “Well,” said Martha stoutly, “I’ve told thee that th’ very birds likes him an’ th’ rabbits an’ wild sheep an’ ponies, an’ th’ foxes themselves. I wonder,” staring at her reflectively, “what Dickon would think of thee?” “He wouldn’t like me,” said Mary in her stiff, cold little way. “No one does.” Martha looked reflective again. “How does tha’ like thysel’?” she inquired, really quite as if she were curious to know. Mary hesitated a moment and thought it over. “Not at all—really,” she answered. “But I never thought of that before.” Martha grinned a little as if at some homely recollection. “Mother said that to me once,” she said. “She was at her wash-tub an’ I was in a bad temper an’ talkin’ ill of folk, an’ she turns round on me an’ says: `Tha’ young vixen, tha’! There tha’ stands sayin’ tha’ doesn’t like this one an’ tha’ doesn’t like that one. How does tha’ like thysel’?’ It made me laugh an’ it brought me to my senses in a minute.” She went away in high spirits as soon as she had given Mary her breakfast. She was going to walk five miles across the moor to the cottage, and she was going to help her mother with the washing and do the week’s baking and enjoy herself thoroughly. Mary felt lonelier than ever when she knew she was no longer in the house. She went out into the garden as quickly as possible, and the first thing she did was to run round and round the fountain flower garden ten times. She counted the times carefully and when she had finished she felt in better spirits. The sunshine made the whole place look different. The high, deep, blue sky arched over Misselthwaite as well as over the moor, and she kept lifting her face and looking up into it, trying to imagine what it would be like to lie down on one of the little snow-white clouds and
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float about. She went into the first kitchen-garden and found Ben Weatherstaff working there with two other gardeners. The change in the weather seemed to have done him good. He spoke to her of his own accord. “Springtime’s comin,’” he said. “Cannot tha’ smell it?” Mary sniffed and thought she could. “I smell something nice and fresh and damp,” she said. “That’s th’ good rich earth,” he answered, digging away. “It’s in a good humor makin’ ready to grow things. It’s glad when plantin’ time comes. It’s dull in th’ winter when it’s got nowt to do. In th’ flower gardens out there things will be stirrin’ down below in th’ dark. Th’ sun’s warmin’ ‘em. You’ll see bits o’ green spikes stickin’ out o’ th’ black earth after a bit.” “What will they be?” asked Mary. “Crocuses an’ snowdrops an’ daffydowndillys. Has tha’ never seen them?” “No. Everything is hot, and wet, and green after the rains in India,” said Mary. “And I think things grow up in a night.” “These won’t grow up in a night,” said Weatherstaff. “Tha’ll have to wait for ‘em. They’ll poke up a bit higher here, an’ push out a spike more there, an’ uncurl a leaf this day an’ another that. You watch ‘em.” “I am going to,” answered Mary. Very soon she heard the soft rustling flight of wings again and she knew at once that the robin had come again. He was very pert and lively, and hopped about so close to her feet, and put his head on one side and looked at her so slyly that she asked Ben Weatherstaff a question. “Do you think he remembers me?” she said. “Remembers thee!” said Weatherstaff indignantly. “He knows every cabbage stump in th’ gardens, let alone th’ people. He’s never seen a little wench here before, an’ he’s bent on findin’ out all about thee. Tha’s no need to try to hide anything from him.” “Are things stirring down below in the dark in that garden where he lives?” Mary inquired. “What garden?” grunted Weatherstaff, becoming surly again. “The one where the old rose-trees are.” She could not help asking, because she wanted so much to know. “Are all the flowers dead, or do some of them come again in the summer? Are there ever any roses?” “Ask him,” said Ben Weatherstaff, hunching his shoulders toward the robin. “He’s the only one as knows. No one else has seen inside it for ten year’.”
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Ten years was a long time, Mary thought. She had been born ten years ago. She walked away, slowly thinking. She had begun to like the garden just as she had begun to like the robin and Dickon and Martha’s mother. She was beginning to like Martha, too. That seemed a good many people to like—when you were not used to liking. She thought of the robin as one of the people. She went to her walk outside the long, ivy-covered wall over which she could see the tree-tops; and the second time she walked up and down the most interesting and exciting thing happened to her, and it was all through Ben Weatherstaff ’s robin. She heard a chirp and a twitter, and when she looked at the bare flower-bed at her left side there he was hopping about and pretending to peck things out of the earth to persuade her that he had not followed her. But she knew he had followed her and the surprise so filled her with delight that she almost trembled a little. “You do remember me!” she cried out. “You do! You are prettier than anything else in the world!” She chirped, and talked, and coaxed and he hopped, and flirted his tail and twittered. It was as if he were talking. His red waistcoat was like satin and he puffed his tiny breast out and was so fine and so grand and so pretty that it was really as if he were showing her how important and like a human person a robin could be. Mistress Mary forgot that she had ever been contrary in her life when he allowed her to draw closer and closer to him, and bend down and talk and try to make something like robin sounds. Oh! to think that he should actually let her come as near to him as that! He knew nothing in the world would make her put out her hand toward him or startle him in the least tiniest way. He knew it because he was a real person—only nicer than any other person in the world. She was so happy that she scarcely dared to breathe. The flower-bed was not quite bare. It was bare of flowers because the perennial plants had been cut down for their winter rest, but there were tall shrubs and low ones which grew together at the back of the bed, and as the robin hopped about under them she saw him hop over a small pile of freshly turned up earth. He stopped on it to look for a worm. The earth had been turned up because a dog had been trying to dig up a mole and he had scratched quite a deep hole. Mary looked at it, not really knowing why the hole was there, and as she looked she saw something almost buried in the newly-turned soil. It was something like a ring of rusty iron or brass and when the robin flew up into a tree nearby she put out her hand and picked the ring up. It was more than a ring, however; it was an old key which looked as if it had been buried a long time. Mistress Mary stood up and looked at it with an almost frightened face as it hung from her finger. “Perhaps it has been buried for ten years,” she said in a whisper. “Perhaps it is the key to the garden!”
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CHAPTER VIII THE ROBIN WHO SHOWED THE WAY She looked at the key quite a long time. She turned it over and over, and thought about it. As I have said before, she was not a child who had been trained to ask permission or consult her elders about things. All she thought about the key was that if it was the key to the closed garden, and she could find out where the door was, she could perhaps open it and see what was inside the walls, and what had happened to the old rose-trees. It was because it had been shut up so long that she wanted to see it. It seemed as if it must be different from other places and that something strange must have happened to it during ten years. Besides that, if she liked it she could go into it every day and shut the door behind her, and she could make up some play of her own and play it quite alone, because nobody would ever know where she was, but would think the door was still locked and the key buried in the earth. The thought of that pleased her very much. Living as it were, all by herself in a house with a hundred mysteriously closed rooms and having nothing whatever to do to amuse herself, had set her inactive brain to working and was actually awakening her imagination. There is no doubt that the fresh, strong, pure air from the moor had a great deal to do with it. Just as it had given her an appetite, and fighting with the wind had stirred her blood, so the same things had stirred her mind. In India she had always been too hot and languid and weak to care much about anything, but in this place she was beginning to care and to want to do new things. Already she felt less “contrary,” though she did not know why. She put the key in her pocket and walked up and down her walk. No one but herself ever seemed to come there, so she could walk slowly and look at the wall, or, rather, at the ivy growing on it. The ivy was the baffling thing. Howsoever carefully she looked she could see nothing but thickly growing, glossy, dark green leaves. She was very much disappointed. something of her contrariness came back to her as she paced the walk and looked over it at the tree-tops inside. It seemed so silly, she said to herself, to be near it and not be able to get in. She took the key in her pocket when she went back to the house, and she made up her mind that she would always carry it with her when she went out, so that if she ever should find the hidden door she would be ready. Mrs. Medlock had allowed Martha to sleep all night at the cottage, but she was back at her work in the morning with cheeks redder than ever and in the best of spirits. “I got up at four o’clock,” she said. “Eh! it was pretty on th’moor with th’ birds gettin’ up an’ th’ rabbits scamperin’ about an’ th’ sun risin’. I didn’t walk all th’ way. A man gave me a ride in his cart an’ I did enjoy myself.” She was full of stories of the delights of her day out. Her mother had been glad to see her and they had got the baking and washing all out of the way. She had even made each of the children a doughcake with a bit of brown sugar in it. “I had ‘em all pipin’ hot when they came in from playin’ on th’ moor. An’ th’ cottage all smelt o’ nice, clean hot bakin’ an’ there was a good fire, an’ they just shouted for joy. Our Dickon he said our cottage was good enough for a king.” In the evening they had all sat round the fire, and Martha and her mother had sewed patches on torn clothes and mended stockings and Martha had told them about the little girl who had come from India and who had been waited on all her life by what Martha called “blacks” until she didn’t
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know how to put on her own stockings. “Eh! they did like to hear about you,” said Martha. “They wanted to know all about th’ blacks an’ about th’ ship you came in. I couldn’t tell ‘em enough.” Mary reflected a little. “I’ll tell you a great deal more before your next day out,” she said, “so that you will have more to talk about. I dare say they would like to hear about riding on elephants and camels, and about the officers going to hunt tigers.” “My word!” cried delighted Martha. “It would set ‘em clean off their heads. Would tha’ really do that, Miss? It would be same as a wild beast show like we heard they had in York once.” “India is quite different from Yorkshire,” Mary said slowly, as she thought the matter over. “I never thought of that. Did Dickon and your mother like to hear you talk about me?” “Why, our Dickon’s eyes nearly started out o’ his head, they got that round,” answered Martha. “But mother, she was put out about your seemin’ to be all by yourself like. She said, ‘Hasn’t Mr. Craven got no governess for her, nor no nurse?’ and I said, ‘No, he hasn’t, though Mrs. Medlock says he will when he thinks of it, but she says he mayn’t think of it for two or three years.’” “I don’t want a governess,” said Mary sharply. “But mother says you ought to be learnin’ your book by this time an’ you ought to have a woman to look after you, an’ she says:`Now, Martha, you just think how you’d feel yourself, in a big place like that, wanderin’ about all alone, an’ no mother. You do your best to cheer her up,’ she says, an’ I said I would.” Mary gave her a long, steady look. “You do cheer me up,” she said. “I like to hear you talk.” Presently Martha went out of the room and came back with something held in her hands under her apron. “What does tha’ think,” she said, with a cheerful grin. “I’ve brought thee a present.” “A present!” exclaimed Mistress Mary. How could a cottage full of fourteen hungry people give any one a present! “A man was drivin’ across the moor peddlin’,” Martha explained. “An’ he stopped his cart at our door. He had pots an’ pans an’ odds an’ ends, but mother had no money to buy anythin’. Just as he was goin’ away our ‘Lizabeth Ellen called out, `Mother, he’s got skippin’-ropes with red an’ blue handles.’ An’ mother she calls out quite sudden, `Here, stop, mister! How much are they?’ An’ he says `Tuppence’, an’ mother she began fumblin’ in her pocket an’ she says to me, `Martha, tha’s brought me thy wages like a good lass, an’ I’ve got four places to put every penny, but I’m just goin’ to take tuppence out of it to buy that child a skippin’-rope,’ an’ she bought one an’ here it is.” She brought it out from under her apron and exhibited it quite proudly. It was a strong, slender rope with a striped red and blue handle at each end, but Mary Lennox had never seen a skipping-rope before. She gazed at it with a mystified expression. “What is it for?” she asked curiously. “For!” cried out Martha. “Does tha’ mean that they’ve not got skippin’-ropes in India, for all they’ve got elephants and tigers and camels! No wonder most of ‘em’s black. This is what it’s for;
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just watch me.” And she ran into the middle of the room and, taking a handle in each hand, began to skip, and skip, and skip, while Mary turned in her chair to stare at her, and the queer faces in the old portraits seemed to stare at her, too, and wonder what on earth this common little cottager had the impudence to be doing under their very noses. But Martha did not even see them. The interest and curiosity in Mistress Mary’s face delighted her, and she went on skipping and counted as she skipped until she had reached a hundred. “I could skip longer than that,” she said when she stopped. “I’ve skipped as much as five hundred when I was twelve, but I wasn’t as fat then as I am now, an’ I was in practice.” Mary got up from her chair beginning to feel excited herself. “It looks nice,” she said. “Your mother is a kind woman. Do you think I could ever skip like that?” “You just try it,” urged Martha, handing her the skipping-rope. “You can’t skip a hundred at first, but if you practice you’ll mount up. That’s what mother said. She says, `Nothin’ will do her more good than skippin’ rope. It’s th’ sensiblest toy a child can have. Let her play out in th’ fresh air skippin’ an’ it’ll stretch her legs an’ arms an’ give her some strength in ‘em.’” It was plain that there was not a great deal of strength in Mistress Mary’s arms and legs when she first began to skip. She was not very clever at it, but she liked it so much that she did not want to stop. “Put on tha’ things and run an’ skip out o’ doors,” said Martha. “Mother said I must tell you to keep out o’ doors as much as you could, even when it rains a bit, so as tha’ wrap up warm.” Mary put on her coat and hat and took her skipping-rope over her arm. She opened the door to go out, and then suddenly thought of something and turned back rather slowly. “Martha,” she said, “they were your wages. It was your two-pence really. Thank you.” She said it stiffly because she was not used to thanking people or noticing that they did things for her. “Thank you,” she said, and held out her hand because she did not know what else to do. Martha gave her hand a clumsy little shake, as if she was not accustomed to this sort of thing either. Then she laughed. “Eh! th’ art a queer, old-womanish thing,” she said. “If tha’d been our ‘Lizabeth Ellen tha’d have given me a kiss.” Mary looked stiffer than ever. “Do you want me to kiss you?” Martha laughed again. “Nay, not me,” she answered. “If tha’ was different, p’raps tha’d want to thysel’. But tha’ isn’t. Run off outside an’ play with thy rope.” Mistress Mary felt a little awkward as she went out of the room. Yorkshire people seemed strange, and Martha was always rather a puzzle to her. At first she had disliked her very much, but now she did not. The skipping-rope was a wonderful thing. She counted and skipped, and skipped and counted, until her cheeks were quite red, and she was more interested than she had ever been since she was born. The sun was shining and a little wind was blowing—not a rough wind, but one
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which came in delightful little gusts and brought a fresh scent of newly turned earth with it. She skipped round the fountain garden, and up one walk and down another. She skipped at last into the kitchen-garden and saw Ben Weatherstaff digging and talking to his robin, which was hopping about him. She skipped down the walk toward him and he lifted his head and looked at her with a curious expression. She had wondered if he would notice her. She wanted him to see her skip. “Well!” he exclaimed. “Upon my word. P’raps tha’ art a young ‘un, after all, an’ p’raps tha’s got child’s blood in thy veins instead of sour buttermilk. Tha’s sipped red into thy cheeks as sure as my name’s Ben Weatherstaff. I wouldn’t have believed tha’ could do it.” “I never skipped before,” Mary said. “I’m just beginning. I can only go up to twenty.” “Tha’ keep on,” said Ben. “Tha’ shapes well enough at it for a young ‘un that’s lived with heathen. Just see how he’s watchin’ thee,” jerking his head toward the robin. “He followed after thee yesterday. He’ll be at it again today. He’ll be bound to find out what th’ skippin’-rope is. He’s never seen one. Eh!” shaking his head at the bird, “tha’ curiosity will be th’ death of thee sometime if tha’ doesn’t look sharp.” Mary skipped round all the gardens and round the orchard, resting every few minutes. At length she went to her own special walk and made up her mind to try if she could skip the whole length of it. It was a good long skip and she began slowly, but before she had gone half-way down the path she was so hot and breathless that she was obliged to stop. She did not mind much, because she had already counted up to thirty. She stopped with a little laugh of pleasure, and there, lo and behold, was the robin swaying on a long branch of ivy. He had followed her and he greeted her with a chirp. As Mary had skipped toward him she felt something heavy in her pocket strike against her at each jump, and when she saw the robin she laughed again. “You showed me where the key was yesterday,” she said. “You ought to show me the door today; but I don’t believe you know!” The robin flew from his swinging spray of ivy on to the top of the wall and he opened his beak and sang a loud, lovely trill, merely to show off. Nothing in the world is quite as adorably lovely as a robin when he shows off—and they are nearly always doing it. Mary Lennox had heard a great deal about Magic in her Ayah’s stories, and she always said that what happened almost at that moment was Magic. One of the nice little gusts of wind rushed down the walk, and it was a stronger one than the rest. It was strong enough to wave the branches of the trees, and it was more than strong enough to sway the trailing sprays of untrimmed ivy hanging from the wall. Mary had stepped close to the robin, and suddenly the gust of wind swung aside some loose ivy trails, and more suddenly still she jumped toward it and caught it in her hand. This she did because she had seen something under it—a round knob which had been covered by the leaves hanging over it. It was the knob of a door. She put her hands under the leaves and began to pull and push them aside. Thick as the ivy hung, it nearly all was a loose and swinging curtain, though some had crept over wood and iron. Mary’s heart began to thump and her hands to shake a little in her delight and excitement. The
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robin kept singing and twittering away and tilting his head on one side, as if he were as excited as she was. What was this under her hands which was square and made of iron and which her fingers found a hole in? It was the lock of the door which had been closed ten years and she put her hand in her pocket, drew out the key and found it fitted the keyhole. She put the key in and turned it. It took two hands to do it, but it did turn. And then she took a long breath and looked behind her up the long walk to see if any one was coming. No one was coming. No one ever did come, it seemed, and she took another long breath, because she could not help it, and she held back the swinging curtain of ivy and pushed back the door which opened slowly—slowly. Then she slipped through it, and shut it behind her, and stood with her back against it, looking about her and breathing quite fast with excitement, and wonder, and delight. She was standing inside The Secret Garden.
CHAPTER IX THE STRANGEST HOUSE ANY ONE EVER LIVED IN It was the sweetest, most mysterious-looking place any one could imagine. The high walls which shut it in were covered with the leafless stems of climbing roses which were so thick that they were matted together. Mary Lennox knew they were roses because she had seen a great many roses in India. All the ground was covered with grass of a wintry brown and out of it grew clumps of bushes which were surely rosebushes if they were alive. There were numbers of standard roses which had so spread their branches that they were like little trees. There were other trees in the garden, and one of the things which made the place look strangest and loveliest was that climbing roses had run all over them and swung down long tendrils which made light swaying curtains,and here and there they had caught at each other or at a far-reaching branch and had crept from one tree to another and made lovely bridges of themselves. There were neither leaves nor roses on them now and Mary did not know whether they were dead or alive, but their thin gray or brown branches and sprays looked like a sort of hazy mantle spreading over everything, walls, and trees, and even brown grass, where they had fallen from their fastenings and run along the ground. It was this hazy tangle from tree to tree which made it all look so mysterious. Mary had thought it must be different from other gardens which had not been left all by themselves so long; and indeed it was different from any other place she had ever seen in her life. “How still it is!” she whispered. “How still!” Then she waited a moment and listened at the stillness. The robin, who had flown to his treetop, was still as all the rest. He did not even flutter his wings; he sat without stirring, and looked at Mary. “No wonder it is still,” she whispered again. “I am the first person who has spoken in here for ten years.” She moved away from the door, stepping as softly as if she were afraid of awakening some one. She was glad that there was grass under her feet and that her steps made no sounds. She walked under one of the fairy-like gray arches between the trees and looked up at the sprays and tendrils
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which formed them. “I wonder if they are all quite dead,” she said. “Is it all a quite dead garden? I wish it wasn’t.” If she had been Ben Weatherstaff she could have told whether the wood was alive by looking at it, but she could only see that there were only gray or brown sprays and branches and none showed any signs of even a tiny leaf-bud anywhere. But she was inside the wonderful garden and she could come through the door under the ivy any time and she felt as if she had found a world all her own. The sun was shining inside the four walls and the high arch of blue sky over this particular piece of Misselthwaite seemed even more brilliant and soft than it was over the moor. The robin flew down from his tree-top and hopped about or flew after her from one bush to another. He chirped a good deal and had a very busy air, as if he were showing her things. Everything was strange and silent and she seemed to be hundreds of miles away from any one, but somehow she did not feel lonely at all. All that troubled her was her wish that she knew whether all the roses were dead, or if perhaps some of them had lived and might put out leaves and buds as the weather got warmer. She did not want it to be a quite dead garden. If it were a quite alive garden, how wonderful it would be, and what thousands of roses would grow on every side! Her skipping-rope had hung over her arm when she came in and after she had walked about for a while she thought she would skip round the whole garden, stopping when she wanted to look at things. There seemed to have been grass paths here and there, and in one or two corners there were alcoves of evergreen with stone seats or tall moss-covered flower urns in them. As she came near the second of these alcoves she stopped skipping. There had once been a flowerbed in it, and she thought she saw something sticking out of the black earth—some sharp little pale green points. She remembered what Ben Weatherstaff had said and she knelt down to look at them. “Yes, they are tiny growing things and they might be crocuses or snowdrops or daffodils,” she whispered. She bent very close to them and sniffed the fresh scent of the damp earth. She liked it very much. “Perhaps there are some other ones coming up in other places,” she said. “I will go all over the garden and look.” She did not skip, but walked. She went slowly and kept her eyes on the ground. She looked in the old border beds and among the grass, and after she had gone round, trying to miss nothing, she had found ever so many more sharp, pale green points, and she had become quite excited again. “It isn’t a quite dead garden,” she cried out softly to herself. “Even if the roses are dead, there are other things alive.” She did not know anything about gardening, but the grass seemed so thick in some of the places where the green points were pushing their way through that she thought they did not seem to have room enough to grow. She searched about until she found a rather sharp piece of wood and knelt down and dug and weeded out the weeds and grass until she made nice little clear places around them. “Now they look as if they could breathe,” she said, after she had finished with the first ones. “I am going to do ever so many more. I’ll do all I can see. If I haven’t time today I can come tomorrow.” She went from place to place, and dug and weeded, and enjoyed herself so immensely that she was led on from bed to bed and into the grass under the trees. The exercise made her so warm that she first threw her coat off, and then her hat, and without knowing it she was smiling down on to the
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 20—14
grass and the pale green points all the time. The robin was tremendously busy. He was very much pleased to see gardening begun on his own estate. He had often wondered at Ben Weatherstaff. Where gardening is done all sorts of delightful things to eat are turned up with the soil. Now here was this new kind of creature who was not half Ben’s size and yet had had the sense to come into his garden and begin at once. Mistress Mary worked in her garden until it was time to go to her midday dinner. In fact, she was rather late in remembering, and when she put on her coat and hat, and picked up her skipping-rope, she could not believe that she had been working two or three hours. She had been actually happy all the time; and dozens and dozens of the tiny, pale green points were to be seen in cleared places, looking twice as cheerful as they had looked before when the grass and weeds had been smothering them. “I shall come back this afternoon,” she said, looking all round at her new kingdom, and speaking to the trees and the rose-bushes as if they heard her. Then she ran lightly across the grass, pushed open the slow old door and slipped through it under the ivy. She had such red cheeks and such bright eyes and ate such a dinner that Martha was delighted. “Two pieces o’ meat an’ two helps o’ rice puddin’!” she said. “Eh! mother will be pleased when I tell her what th’ skippin’-rope’s done for thee.” In the course of her digging with her pointed stick Mistress Mary had found herself digging up a sort of white root rather like an onion. She had put it back in its place and patted the earth carefully down on it and just now she wondered if Martha could tell her what it was. “Martha,” she said, “what are those white roots that look like onions?” “They’re bulbs,” answered Martha. “Lots o’ spring flowers grow from ‘em. Th’ very little ones are snowdrops an’ crocuses an’ th’ big ones are narcissuses an’ jonquils and daffydowndillys. Th’ biggest of all is lilies an’ purple flags. Eh! they are nice. Dickon’s got a whole lot of ‘em planted in our bit o’ garden.” “Does Dickon know all about them?” asked Mary, a new idea taking possession of her. “Our Dickon can make a flower grow out of a brick walk. Mother says he just whispers things out o’ th’ ground.” “Do bulbs live a long time? Would they live years and years if no one helped them?” inquired Mary anxiously. “They’re things as helps themselves,” said Martha. “That’s why poor folk can afford to have ‘em. If you don’t trouble ‘em, most of ‘em’ll work away underground for a lifetime an’ spread out an’ have little ‘uns. There’s a place in th’ park woods here where there’s snowdrops by thousands. They’re the prettiest sight in Yorkshire when th’ spring comes. No one knows when they was first planted.” “I wish the spring was here now,” said Mary. “I want to see all the things that grow in England.” She had finished her dinner and gone to her favorite seat on the hearth-rug. “I wish—I wish I had a little spade,” she said.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 20—15
“Whatever does tha’ want a spade for?” asked Martha, laughing. “Art tha’ goin’ to take to diggin’? I must tell mother that, too.” Mary looked at the fire and pondered a little. She must be careful if she meant to keep her secret kingdom. She wasn’t doing any harm, but if Mr. Craven found out about the open door he would be fearfully angry and get a new key and lock it up forevermore. She really could not bear that. “This is such a big lonely place,” she said slowly, as if she were turning matters over in her mind. “The house is lonely, and the park is lonely, and the gardens are lonely. So many places seem shut up. I never did many things in India, but there were more people to look at—natives and soldiers marching by—and sometimes bands playing, and my Ayah told me stories. There is no one to talk to here except you and Ben Weatherstaff. And you have to do your work and Ben Weatherstaff won’t speak to me often. I thought if I had a little spade I could dig somewhere as he does, and I might make a little garden if he would give me some seeds.” Martha’s face quite lighted up.”There now!” she exclaimed, “if that wasn’t one of th’ things mother said. She says, `There’s such a lot o’ room in that big place, why don’t they give ‘er a bit for herself, even if she doesn’t plant nothin’ but parsley an’ radishes? She’d dig an’ rake away an’ be right down happy over it.’ Them was the very words she said.” “Were they?” said Mary. “How many things she knows, doesn’t she?” “Eh!” said Martha. “It’s like she says: `A woman as brings up twelve children learns something besides her A B C. Children’s as good as ‘rithmetic to set you findin’ out things.’” “How much would a spade cost—a little one?” Mary asked. “Well,” was Martha’s reflective answer, “at Thwaite village there’s a shop or so an’ I saw little garden sets with a spade an’ a rake an’ a fork all tied together for two shillings. An’ they was stout enough to work with, too.” “I’ve got more than that in my purse,” said Mary. “Mrs. Morrison gave me five shillings and Mrs. Medlock gave me some money from Mr. Craven.” “Did he remember thee that much?” exclaimed Martha. “Mrs. Medlock said I was to have a shilling a week to spend. She gives me one every Saturday. I didn’t know what to spend it on.” “My word! that’s riches,” said Martha. “Tha’ can buy anything in th’ world tha’ wants. Th’ rent of our cottage is only one an’ threepence an’ it’s like pullin’ eye-teeth to get it. Now I’ve just thought of somethin’,”putting her hands on her hips. “What?” said Mary eagerly. “In the shop at Thwaite they sell packages o’ flower-seeds for a penny each, and our Dickon he
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 20—16
knows which is th’ prettiest ones an, how to make ‘em grow. He walks over to Thwaite many a day just for th’ fun of it. Does tha’ know how to print letters?” suddenly. “I know how to write,” Mary answered. Martha shook her head. Our Dickon can only read printin’. If tha’ could print we could write a letter to him an’ ask him to go an’ buy th’ garden tools an’ th’ seeds at th’ same time.” “Oh! you’re a good girl!” Mary cried. “You are, really! I didn’t know you were so nice. I know I can print letters if I try. Let’s ask Mrs. Medlock for a pen and ink and some paper.” “I’ve got some of my own,” said Martha. “I bought ‘em so I could print a bit of a letter to mother of a Sunday. I’ll go and get it.” She ran out of the room, and Mary stood by the fire and twisted her thin little hands together with sheer pleasure. “If I have a spade,” she whispered, “I can make the earth nice and soft and dig up weeds. If I have seeds and can make flowers grow the garden won’t be dead at all—it will come alive.” She did not go out again that afternoon because when Martha returned with her pen and ink and paper she was obliged to clear the table and carry the plates and dishes downstairs and when she got into the kitchen Mrs. Medlock was there and told her to do something, so Mary waited for what seemed to her a long time before she came back. Then it was a serious piece of work to write to Dickon. Mary had been taught very little because her governesses had disliked her too much to stay with her. She could not spell particularly well but she found that she could print letters when she tried. This was the letter Martha dictated to her: “My Dear Dickon: This comes hoping to find you well as it leaves me at present. Miss Mary has plenty of money and will you go to Thwaite and buy her some flower seeds and a set of garden tools to make a flower-bed. Pick the prettiest ones and easy to grow because she has never done it before and lived in India which is different. Give my love to mother and every one of you. Miss Mary is going to tell me a lot more so that on my next day out you can hear about elephants and camels and gentlemen going hunting lions and tigers. “Your loving sister, Martha Phoebe Sowerby.” “We’ll put the money in th’ envelope an’ I’ll get th’ butcher boy to take it in his cart. He’s a great friend o’ Dickon’s,” said Martha. “How shall I get the things when Dickon buys them?” “He’ll bring ‘em to you himself. He’ll like to walk over this way.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 20—17
“Oh!” exclaimed Mary, “then I shall see him! I never thought I should see Dickon.” “Does tha’ want to see him?” asked Martha suddenly, for Mary had looked so pleased. “Yes, I do. I never saw a boy foxes and crows loved. I want to see him very much.” Martha gave a little start, as if she remembered something. “Now to think,” she broke out, “to think o’ me forgettin’ that there; an’ I thought I was goin’ to tell you first thing this mornin’. I asked mother—and she said she’d ask Mrs. Medlock her own self.” “Do you mean—” Mary began. “What I said Tuesday. Ask her if you might be driven over to our cottage some day and have a bit o’ mother’s hot oat cake, an’ butter, an’ a glass o’ milk.” It seemed as if all the interesting things were happening in one day. To think of going over the moor in the daylight and when the sky was blue! To think of going into the cottage which held twelve children! “Does she think Mrs. Medlock would let me go?” she asked, quite anxiously. “Aye, she thinks she would. She knows what a tidy woman mother is and how clean she keeps the cottage.” “If I went I should see your mother as well as Dickon,” said Mary, thinking it over and liking the idea very much. “She doesn’t seem to be like the mothers in India.” Her work in the garden and the excitement of the afternoon ended by making her feel quiet and thoughtful. Martha stayed with her until tea-time, but they sat in comfortable quiet and talked very little. But just before Martha went downstairs for the tea-tray, Mary asked a question. “Martha,” she said, “has the scullery-maid had the toothache again today?” Martha certainly started slightly. “What makes thee ask that?” she said. “Because when I waited so long for you to come back I opened the door and walked down the corridor to see if you were coming. And I heard that far-off crying again, just as we heard it the other night. There isn’t a wind today, so you see it couldn’t have been the wind.” “Eh!” said Martha restlessly. “Tha’ mustn’t go walkin’about in corridors an’ listenin’. Mr. Craven would be that there angry there’s no knowin’ what he’d do.” “I wasn’t listening,” said Mary. “I was just waiting for you—and I heard it. That’s three times.” “My word! There’s Mrs. Medlock’s bell,” said Martha, and she almost ran out of the room. “It’s the strangest house any one ever lived in,” said Mary drowsily, as she dropped her head on the cushioned seat of the armchair near her. Fresh air, and digging, and skipping-rope had made her feel so comfortably tired that she fell asleep.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—1
Lesson 21
Figurative Language The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will be introduced to figurative language as it is used in the novel. Key Vocabulary: Gaping, Fretfully, Personification, Metaphor, Imagery, Simile, Symbolism Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: What what do you think Mary Engelbreit meant by: “Happiness must be grown in one’s own garden.”—Mary Engelbreit Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will be considering what it is that makes Francis Burnett’s writing so interesting by being introduced to the five types of figurative language. For the next several Lessons, the student will examine the use of figurative language in greater detail and apply it to the novel. Instruct the student to first complete the Descriptive Language Activity below. (Answers to the questions will vary) Assign the student to read Chapters Ten and Eleven of the novel and complete the study questions for the chapters read in this Lesson. Answers to Chapters Ten and Eleven Study Questions: What do you think the author means when she says that Mary is “becoming wider awake everyday which passed at Misselthwaite”? Answers will vary but should imply that Mary is adapting to her new experiences. Do Mary and Dickon have something in common to begin a good friendship? Explain your answer. Have you had a similar experience when you met a new friend? Tell about it. Answers will vary Do you see any positive changes in Mary? Answers will vary How does Mary compare herself to the robin? She says that they both stumbled upon the garden by accident, and have made their homes there ever since.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—2
How does Mary perceive Dickon as different? She thinks he is strange and exotic because he speaks in a different language, but she also frequently thinks about his class differences, commenting on his clothing, hair, and food he eats. Lessons Wrap-Up: Ask the student to give one example of figurative language noticed while reading. Then ask, “Why did that stand out?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—1
Lesson 21
Figurative Language The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
What what do you think Mary Engelbreit meant by: “Happiness must be grown in one’s own garden.”—Mary Engelbreit. Explain what this quote means to you in at least five complete sentences in your journal. Consider what makes Francis Burnett’s writing so interesting. Could it be Burnett’s use of figurative language that causes the reader to be able to feel, see, and hear what the characters are experiencing in the novel? Some of the types of figurative language that are used are: Personification—This occurs when human characteristics are given to inanimate objects Simile—This occurs when two things are being compared to each other using the words “like” or “as” Imagery—This occurs when a picture is created in your mind of what is occurring in the story. Symbolism—This occurs when one object or person is used to represent something else. Metaphor—This occurs when two things are being compared to each other without using the words “like” or “as”. In the next several Lessons you will examine the use of figurative language in greater detail throughout the novel. For this Lesson, complete the Descriptive Language Activity below. When you have finished, read Chapters Ten and Eleven of The Secret Garden. Then complete the study questions that follow. Lesson Wrap-Up: Give one example of figurative language you noticed while reading. Why did that stand out?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—2
Descriptive Language Activity Part 1: Skim back over chapters 1–8 of The Secret Garden. Give one example of imagery used in these chapters.
Part 2: Find five examples of figurative language Burnett used in Chapters 1–8.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—3
Chapters Ten and Eleven Study Questions What do you think the author means when she says that Mary is “becoming wider awake everyday which passed at Misselthwaite”?
Do Mary and Dickon have something in common to begin a good friendship? Explain your answer. Have you had a similar experience when you met a new friend? Tell about it.
Do you see any positive changes in Mary?
STUDENT MANUAL
How does Mary compare herself to the robin?
How does Mary perceive Dickon as different?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—4
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—5
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER X DICKON The sun shone down for nearly a week on The Secret Garden. The Secret Garden was what Mary called it when she was thinking of it. She liked the name, and she liked still more the feeling that when its beautiful old walls shuther in no one knew where she was. It seemed almost like being shut out of the world in some fairy place. The few books she had read and liked had been fairy-story books, and she had read of secret gardens in some of the stories. Sometimes people went to sleep in them for a hundred years, which she had thought must be rather stupid. She had no intention of going to sleep, and, in fact, she was becoming wider awake every day which passed at Misselthwaite. She was beginning to like to be out of doors; she no longer hated the wind, but enjoyed it. She could run faster, and longer, and she could skip up to a hundred. The bulbs in The Secret Garden must have been much astonished. Such nice clear places were made round them that they had all the breathing space they wanted, and really, if Mistress Mary had known it, they began to cheer up under the dark earth and work tremendously. The sun could get at them and warm them, and when the rain came down it could reach them at once, so they began to feel very much alive. Mary was an odd, determined little person, and now she had something interesting to be determined about, she was very much absorbed, indeed. She worked and dug and pulled up weeds steadily, only becoming more pleased with her work every hour instead of tiring of it. It seemed to her like a fascinating sort of play. She found many more of the sprouting pale green points than she had ever hoped to find. They seemed to be starting up everywhere and each day she was sure she found tiny new ones, some so tiny that they barely peeped above the earth. There were so many that she remembered what Martha had said about the “snowdrops by the thousands,” and about bulbs spreading and making new ones. These had been left to themselves for ten years and perhaps they had spread, like the snowdrops, into thousands. She wondered how long it would be before they showed that they were flowers. Sometimes she stopped digging to look at the garden and try to imagine what it would be like when it was covered with thousands of lovely things in bloom. During that week of sunshine, she became more intimate with Ben Weatherstaff. She surprised him several times by seeming to start up beside him as if she sprang out of the earth. The truth was that she was afraid that he would pick up his tools and go away if he saw her coming, so she always walked toward him as silently as possible. But, in fact, he did not object to her as strongly as he had at first. Perhaps he was secretly rather flattered by her evident desire for his elderly company. Then, also, she was more civil than she had been. He did not know that when she first saw him she spoke to him as she would have spoken to a native, and had not known that a cross, sturdy old Yorkshire man was not accustomed to salaam to his masters, and be merely commanded by them to do things. “Tha’rt like th’ robin,” he said to her one morning when he lifted his head and saw her standing by him. “I never knows when I shall see thee or which side tha’ll come from.” “He’s friends with me now,” said Mary. “That’s like him,” snapped Ben Weatherstaff. “Makin’ up to th’ women folk just for vanity an’
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—6
flightiness. There’s nothin’ he wouldn’t do for th’ sake o’ showin’ off an’ flirtin’ his tail-feathers. He’s as full o’ pride as an egg’s full o’ meat.” He very seldom talked much and sometimes did not even answer Mary’s questions except by a grunt, but this morning he said more than usual. He stood up and rested one hobnailed boot on the top of his spade while he looked her over. “How long has tha’ been here?” he jerked out. “I think it’s about a month,” she answered. “Tha’s beginnin’ to do Misselthwaite credit,” he said. “Tha’s a bit fatter than tha’ was an’ tha’s not quite so yeller. Tha’ looked like a young plucked crow when tha’ first came into this garden. Thinks I to myself I never set eyes on an uglier, sourer faced young ‘un.” Mary was not vain and as she had never thought much of her looks she was not greatly disturbed. “I know I’m fatter,” she said. “My stockings are getting tighter. They used to make wrinkles. There’s the robin, Ben Weatherstaff.” There, indeed, was the robin, and she thought he looked nicer than ever. His red waistcoat was as glossy as satin and he flirted his wings and tail and tilted his head and hopped about with all sorts of lively graces. He seemed determined to make Ben Weatherstaff admire him. But Ben was sarcastic. “Aye, there tha’ art!” he said. “Tha’ can put up with me for a bit sometimes when tha’s got no one better. Tha’s been reddenin’ up thy waistcoat an’ polishin’ thy feathers this two weeks. I know what tha’s up to. Tha’s courtin’ some bold young madam somewhere tellin’ thy lies to her about bein’ th’ finest cock robin on Missel Moor an’ ready to fight all th’ rest of ‘em.” “Oh! look at him!” exclaimed Mary. The robin was evidently in a fascinating, bold mood. He hopped closer and closer and looked at Ben Weatherstaff more and more engagingly. He flew on to the nearest currant bush and tilted his head and sang a little song right at him. “Tha’ thinks tha’ll get over me by doin’ that,” said Ben, wrinkling his face up in such a way that Mary felt sure he was trying not to look pleased. “Tha’ thinks no one can stand out against thee— that’s what tha’ thinks.” The robin spread his wings—Mary could scarcely believe her eyes. He flew right up to the handle of Ben Weatherstaff ’s spade and alighted on the top of it. Then the old man’s face wrinkled itself slowly into a new expression. He stood still as if he were afraid to breathe—as if he would not have stirred for the world, lest his robin should start away. He spoke quite in a whisper. “Well, I’m danged!” he said as softly as if he were saying something quite different. “Tha’ does know how to get at a chap—tha’ does! Tha’s fair unearthly, tha’s so knowin’.” And he stood without stirring—almost without drawing his breath—until the robin gave another flirt to his wings and flew away. Then he stood looking at the handle of the spade as if there might be Magic in it, and then he began to dig again and said nothing for several minutes. But because he kept breaking into a slow grin now and then, Mary was not afraid to talk to him. “Have you a garden of your own?” she asked. “No. I’m bachelder an’ lodge with Martin at th’ gate.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—7
“If you had one,” said Mary, “what would you plant?” “Cabbages an’ ‘taters an’ onions.” “But if you wanted to make a flower garden,” persisted Mary, “what would you plant?” “Bulbs an’ sweet-smellin’ things—but mostly roses.” Mary’s face lighted up. “Do you like roses?” she said. Ben Weatherstaff rooted up a weed and threw it aside before he answered. “Well, yes, I do. I was learned that by a young lady I was gardener to. She had a lot in a place she was fond of, an’ she loved ‘em like they was children—or robins. I’ve seen her bend over an’ kiss ‘em.” He dragged out another weed and scowled at it. “That were as much as ten year’ ago.” “Where is she now?” asked Mary, much interested. “Heaven,” he answered, and drove his spade deep into the soil, “’cording to what parson says.” “What happened to the roses?” Mary asked again, more interested than ever. “They was left to themselves.” Mary was becoming quite excited. “Did they quite die? Do roses quite die when they are left to themselves?” she ventured. “Well, I’d got to like ‘em—an’ I liked her—an’ she liked ‘em,” Ben Weatherstaff admitted reluctantly. “Once or twice a year I’d go an’ work at ‘em a bit—prune ‘em an’ dig about th’ roots. They run wild, but they was in rich soil, so some of ‘em lived.” “When they have no leaves and look gray and brown and dry, how can you tell whether they are dead or alive?” inquired Mary. “Wait till th’ spring gets at ‘em—wait till th’ sun shines on th’ rain and th’ rain falls on th’ sunshine an’ then tha’ll find out.” “How—how?” cried Mary, forgetting to be careful. “Look along th’ twigs an’ branches an’ if tha’ see a bit of a brown lump swelling here an’ there, watch it after th’ warm rain an’ see what happens.” He stopped suddenly and looked curiously at her eager face. “Why does tha’ care so much about roses an’ such, all of a sudden?” he demanded. Mistress Mary felt her face grow red. She was almost afraid to answer. “I—I want to play that—that I have a garden of my own,” she stammered. “I— there is nothing for me to do. I have nothing—and no one.” “Well,” said Ben Weatherstaff slowly, as he watched her, “that’s true. Tha’ hasn’t.” He said it in such an odd way that Mary wondered if he was actually a little sorry for her. She had never felt sorry for herself; she had only felt tired and cross, because she disliked people and things so much. But now the world seemed to be changing and getting nicer. If no one found out about The Secret
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—8
Garden, she should enjoy herself always. She stayed with him for ten or fifteen minutes longer and asked him as many questions as she dared. He answered every one of them in his queer grunting way and he did not seem really cross and did not pick up his spade and leave her. He said something about roses just as she was going away and it reminded her of the ones he had said he had been fond of. “Do you go and see those other roses now?” she asked. “Not been this year. My rheumatics has made me too stiff in th’ joints.” He said it in his grumbling voice, and then quite suddenly he seemed to get angry with her, though she did not see why he should. “Now look here!” he said sharply. “Don’t tha’ ask so many questions. Tha’rt th’ worst wench for askin’ questions I’ve ever come a cross. Get thee gone an’ play thee. I’ve done talkin’ for today.” And he said it so crossly that she knew there was not the least use in staying another minute. She went skipping slowly down the outside walk, thinking him over and saying to herself that, queer as it was, here was another person whom she liked in spite of his crossness. She liked old Ben Weatherstaff. Yes, she did like him. She always wanted to try to make him talk to her. Also she began to believe that he knew everything in the world about flowers. There was a laurel-hedged walk which curved round The Secret Garden and ended at a gate which opened into a wood, in the park. She thought she would slip round this walk and look into the wood and see if there were any rabbits hopping about. She enjoyed the skipping very much and when she reached the little gate she opened it and went through because she heard a low, peculiar whistling sound and wanted to find out what it was. It was a very strange thing indeed. She quite caught her breath as she stopped to look at it. A boy was sitting under a tree, with his back against it, playing on a rough wooden pipe. He was a funny looking boy about twelve. He looked very clean and his nose turned up and his cheeks were as red as poppies and never had Mistress Mary seen such round and such blue eyes in any boy’s face. And on the trunk of the tree he leaned against, a brown squirrel was clinging and watching him, and from behind a bush nearby a cock pheasant was delicately stretching his neck to peep out, and quite near him were two rabbits sitting up and sniffing with tremulous noses—and actually it appeared as if they were all drawing near to watch him and listen to the strange low little call his pipe seemed to make. When he saw Mary he held up his hand and spoke to her in a voice almost as low as and rather like his piping. “Don’t tha’ move,” he said. “It’d flight ‘em.” Mary remained motionless. He stopped playing his pipe and began to rise from the ground. He moved so slowly that it scarcely seemed as though he were moving at all, but at last he stood on his feet and then the squirrel scampered back up into the branches of his tree, the pheasant withdrew his head and the rabbits dropped on all fours and began to hop away, though not at all as if they were frightened. “I’m Dickon,” the boy said. “I know tha’rt Miss Mary.” Then Mary realized that somehow she had known at first that he was Dickon. Who else could have been charming rabbits and pheasants
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—9
as the natives charm snakes in India? He had a wide, red, curving mouth and his smile spread all over his face. “I got up slow,” he explained, “because if tha’ makes a quick move it startles ‘em. A body ‘as to move gentle an’ speak low when wild things is about.” He did not speak to her as if they had never seen each other before but as if he knew her quite well. Mary knew nothing about boys and she spoke to him a little stiffly because she felt rather shy. “Did you get Martha’s letter?” she asked. He nodded his curly, rust-colored head. “That’s why I come.” He stooped to pick up something which had been lying on the ground beside him when he piped. “I’ve got th’ garden tools. There’s a little spade an’ rake an’ a fork an’ hoe. Eh! they are good ‘uns. There’s a trowel, too. An’ th’ woman in th’ shop threw in a packet o’ white poppy an’ one o’ blue larkspur when I bought th’other seeds.” “Will you show the seeds to me?” Mary said. She wished she could talk as he did. His speech was so quick and easy. It sounded as if he liked her and was not the least afraid she would not like him, though he was only a common moor boy, in patched clothes and with a funny face and a rough, rusty-red head. As she came closer to him she noticed that there was a clean fresh scent of heather and grass and leaves about him, almost as if he were made of them. She liked it very much and when she looked into his funny face with the red cheeks and round blue eyes she forgot that she had felt shy. “Let us sit down on this log and look at them,” she said. They sat down and he took a clumsy little brown paper package out of his coat pocket. He untied the string and inside there were ever so many neater and smaller packages with a picture of a flower on each one. “There’s a lot o’ mignonette an’ poppies,” he said. “Mignonette’s th’ sweetest smellin’ thing as grows, an’ it’ll grow wherever you cast it, same as poppies will. Them as’ll come up an’ bloom if you just whistle to ‘em, them’s th’ nicest of all.” He stopped and turned his head quickly, his poppycheeked face lighting up. “Where’s that robin as is callin’ us?” he said. The chirp came from a thick holly bush, bright with scarlet berries, and Mary thought she knew whose it was. “Is it really calling us?” she asked. “Aye,” said Dickon, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, “he’s callin’ some one he’s friends with. That’s same as sayin’ `Here I am. Look at me. I wants a bit of a chat.’ There he is in the bush. Whose is he?” “He’s Ben Weatherstaff ’s, but I think he knows me a little,” answered Mary. “Aye, he knows thee,” said Dickon in his low voice again. “An’ he likes thee. He’s took thee on. He’ll tell me all about thee in a minute.” He moved quite close to the bush with the slow movement Mary had noticed before, and then he made a sound almost like the robin’s own twitter. The robin listened a few seconds, intently, and then answered quite as if he were replying to a question.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—10
“Aye, he’s a friend o’ yours,” chuckled Dickon. “Do you think he is?” cried Mary eagerly. She did so want to know. “Do you think he really likes me?” “He wouldn’t come near thee if he didn’t,” answered Dickon. “Birds is rare choosers an’ a robin can flout a body worse than a man. See, he’s making up to thee now. `Cannot tha’ see a chap?’ he’s sayin’.” And it really seemed as if it must be true. He so sidled and twittered and tilted as he hopped on his bush. “Do you understand everything birds say?” said Mary. Dickon’s grin spread until he seemed all wide, red, curving mouth, and he rubbed his rough head. “I think I do, and they think I do,” he said. “I’ve lived on th’ moor with ‘em so long. I’ve watched ‘em break shell an’ come out an’ fledge an’ learn to fly an’ begin to sing, till I think I’m one of ‘em. Sometimes I think p’raps I’m a bird, or a fox, or a rabbit, or a squirrel, or even a beetle, an’ I don’t know it.” He laughed and came back to the log and began to talk about the flower seeds again. He told her what they looked like when they were flowers; he told her how to plant them, and watch them, and feed and water them. “See here,” he said suddenly, turning round to look at her. “I’ll plant them for thee myself. Where is tha’ garden?” Mary’s thin hands clutched each other as they lay on her lap. She did not know what to say, so for a whole minute she said nothing. She had never thought of this. She felt miserable. And she felt as if she went red and then pale. “Tha’s got a bit o’ garden, hasn’t tha’?” Dickon said. It was true that she had turned red and then pale. Dickon saw her do it, and as she still said nothing, he began to be puzzled. “Wouldn’t they give thee a bit?” he asked. “Hasn’t tha’ got any yet?” She held her hands tighter and turned her eyes toward him. “I don’t know anything about boys,” she said slowly. “Could you keep a secret, if I told you one? It’s a great secret. I don’t know what I should do if any one found it out. I believe I should die!” She said the last sentence quite fiercely. Dickon looked more puzzled than ever and even rubbed his hand over his rough head again, but he answered quite good-humoredly. “I’m keepin’ secrets all th’ time,” he said. “If I couldn’t keep secrets from th’ other lads, secrets about foxes’ cubs, an’ birds’ nests, an’ wild things’ holes, there’d be naught safe on th’ moor. Aye, I can keep secrets.” Mistress Mary did not mean to put out her hand and clutch his sleeve but she did it. “I’ve stolen a garden,” she said very fast. “It isn’t mine. It isn’t anybody’s. Nobody wants it, nobody cares for it, nobody ever goes into it. Perhaps everything is dead in it already. I don’t know.” She began to feel hot and as contrary as she had ever felt in her life. “I don’t care, I don’t care! Nobody has any right to take it from me when I care about it and they don’t. They’re letting it die, all shut in by itself,” she ended passionately, and she threw her arms over her face and burst out crying-poor little Mistress Mary.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—11
Dickon’s curious blue eyes grew rounder and rounder. “Eh-h-h!” he said, drawing his exclamation out slowly, and the way he did it meant both wonder and sympathy. “I’ve nothing to do,” said Mary. “Nothing belongs to me. I found it myself and I got into it myself. I was only just like the robin, and they wouldn’t take it from the robin.” “Where is it?” asked Dickon in a dropped voice. Mistress Mary got up from the log at once. She knew she felt contrary again, and obstinate, and she did not care at all. She was imperious and Indian, and at the same time hot and sorrowful. “Come with me and I’ll show you,” she said. She led him round the laurel path and to the walk where the ivy grew so thickly. Dickon followed her with a queer, almost pitying, look on his face. He felt as if he were being led to look at some strange bird’s nest and must move softly. When she stepped to the wall and lifted the hanging ivy he started. There was a door and Mary pushed it slowly open and they passed in together, and then Mary stood and waved her hand round defiantly. “It’s this,” she said. “It’s a secret garden, and I’m the only one in the world who wants it to be alive.” Dickon looked round and round about it, and round and round again. “Eh!” he almost whispered, “it is a queer, pretty place! It’s like as if a body was in a dream.”
CHAPTER XI THE NEST OF THE MISSEL THRUSH For two or three minutes he stood looking round him, while Mary watched him, and then he began to walk about softly, even more lightly than Mary had walked the first time she had found herself inside the four walls. His eyes seemed to be taking in everything—the gray trees with the gray creepers climbing over them and hanging from their branches, the tangle on the walls and among the grass, the evergreen alcoves with the stone seats and tall flower urns standing in them. “I never thought I’d see this place,” he said at last, in a whisper. “Did you know about it?” asked Mary. She had spoken aloud and he made a sign to her. “We must talk low,” he said, “or some one’ll hear us an’ wonder what’s to do in here.” “Oh! I forgot!” said Mary, feeling frightened and putting her hand quickly against her mouth. “Did you know about the garden?” she asked again when she had recovered herself. Dickon nodded. “Martha told me there was one as no one ever went inside,” he answered. “Us used to wonder what it was like.” He stopped and looked round at the lovely gray tangle about him, and his round eyes looked queerly happy. “Eh! the nests as’ll be here come springtime,” he said. “It’d be th’ safest nestin’ place in England. No one never comin’ near an’ tangles o’ trees an’ roses to build in. I wonder all th’ birds on th’ moor don’t build here.” Mistress Mary put her hand on his arm again without knowing it. “Will there be roses?” she
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—12
whispered. “Can you tell? I thought perhaps they were all dead.” “Eh! No! Not them—not all of ‘em!” he answered. “Look here!” He stepped over to the nearest tree—an old, old one with gray lichen all over its bark, but upholding a curtain of tangled sprays and branches. He took a thick knife out of his pocket and opened one of its blades. “There’s lots o’ dead wood as ought to be cut out,” he said. “An’ there’s a lot o’ old wood, but it made some new last year. This here’s a new bit,” and he touched a shoot which looked brownish green instead of hard, dry gray. Mary touched it herself in an eager, reverent way. “That one?” she said. “Is that one quite alive quite?” Dickon curved his wide smiling mouth. “It’s as wick as you or me,” he said; and Mary remembered that Martha had told her that “wick” meant “alive” or “lively.” “I’m glad it’s wick!” she cried out in her whisper. “I want them all to be wick. Let us go round the garden and count how many wick ones there are.” She quite panted with eagerness, and Dickon was as eager as she was. They went from tree to tree and from bush to bush. Dickon carried his knife in his hand and showed her things which she thought wonderful. “They’ve run wild,” he said, “but th’ strongest ones has fair thrived on it. The delicatest ones has died out, but th’ others has growed an’ growed, an’ spread an’ spread, till they’s a wonder. See here!” and he pulled down a thick gray, dry-looking branch. “A body might think this was dead wood, but I don’t believe it is—down to th’ root. I’ll cut it low down an’ see.” He knelt and with his knife cut the lifeless-looking branch through, not far above the earth. “There!” he said exultantly. “I told thee so. There’s green in that wood yet. Look at it.” Mary was down on her knees before he spoke, gazing with all her might. “When it looks a bit greenish an’ juicy like that, it’s wick,” he explained. “When th’ inside is dry an’ breaks easy, like this here piece I’ve cut off, it’s done for. There’s a big root here as all this live wood sprung out of, an’ if th’ old wood’s cut off an’ it’s dug round, and took care of there’ll be—” he stopped and lifted his face to look up at the climbing and hanging sprays above him—”there’ll be a fountain o’ roses here this summer.” They went from bush to bush and from tree to tree. He was very strong and clever with his knife and knew how to cut the dry and dead wood away, and could tell when an unpromising bough or twig had still green life in it. In the course of half an hour Mary thought she could tell too, and when he cut through a lifeless-looking branch she would cry out joyfully under her breath when she caught sight of the least shade of moist green. The spade, and hoe, and fork were very useful. He showed her how to use the fork while he dug about roots with the spade and stirred the earth and let the air in. They were working industriously round one of the biggest standard roses when he caught sight of something which made him utter an exclamation of surprise. “Why!” he cried, pointing to the
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—13
grass a few feet away. “Who did that there?” It was one of Mary’s own little clearings round the pale green points. “I did it,” said Mary. “Why, I thought tha’ didn’t know nothin’ about gardenin’,” he exclaimed. “I don’t,” she answered, “but they were so little, and the grass was so thick and strong, and they looked as if they had no room to breathe. So I made a place for them. I don’t even know what they are.” Dickon went and knelt down by them, smiling his wide smile. “Tha’ was right,” he said. “A gardener couldn’t have told thee better. They’ll grow now like Jack’s bean-stalk. They’re crocuses an’ snowdrops, an’ these here is narcissuses,” turning to another patch, “an here’s daffydowndillys. Eh! they will be a sight.” He ran from one clearing to another. “Tha’ has done a lot o’ work for such a little wench,” he said, looking her over. “I’m growing fatter,” said Mary, “and I’m growing stronger. I used always to be tired. When I dig I’m not tired at all. I like to smell the earth when it’s turned up.” “It’s rare good for thee,” he said, nodding his head wisely. “There’s naught as nice as th’ smell o’ good clean earth, except th’ smell o’ fresh growin’ things when th’ rain falls on ‘em. I get out on th’ moor many a day when it’s rainin’ an’ I lie under a bush an’ listen to th’ soft swish o’ drops on th’ heather an, I just sniff an, sniff. My nose end fair quivers like a rabbit’s, mother says.” “Do you never catch cold?” inquired Mary, gazing at him wonderingly. She had never seen such a funny boy, or such a nice one. “Not me,” he said, grinning. “I never ketched cold since I was born. I wasn’t brought up nesh nough. I’ve chased about th’ moor in all weathers same as th’rabbits does. Mother says I’ve sniffed up too much fresh air for twele year’ to ever get to sniffin’ with cold. I’m as tough as a white-thorn knobstick.” He was working all the time he was talking and Mary was following him and helping him with her fork or the trowel. “There’s a lot of work to do here!” he said once, looking about quite exultantly. “Will you come again and help me to do it?” Mary begged. “I’m sure I can help, too. I can dig and pull up weeds, and do whatever you tell me. Oh! do come, Dickon!” “I’ll come every day if tha’ wants me, rain or shine,” he answered stoutly. “It’s the best fun I ever had in my life—shut in here an’ wakenin’ up a garden.” “If you will come,” said Mary, “if you will help me to make it alive I’ll—I don’t know what I’ll do,” she ended helplessly. What could you do for a boy like that? “I’ll tell thee what tha’ll do,” said Dickon, with his happy grin. “Tha’ll get fat an’ tha’ll get as hungry as a young fox an’ tha’ll learn how to talk to th’ robin same as I do. Eh! we’ll have a lot o’ fun.” He began to walk about, looking up in the trees and at the walls and bushes with a thoughtful expression.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—14
“I wouldn’t want to make it look like a gardener’s garden, all clipped an’ spick an’ span, would you?” he said. “It’s nicer like this with things runnin’ wild, an’ swingin’ an’ catchin’ hold of each other.” “Don’t let us make it tidy,” said Mary anxiously. “It wouldn’t seem like a secret garden if it was tidy.” Dickon stood rubbing his rusty-red head with a rather puzzled look. “It’s a secret garden sure enough,” he said, “but seems like some one besides th’ robin must have been in it since it was shut up ten year’ ago.” “But the door was locked and the key was buried,” said Mary. “No one could get in.” “That’s true,” he answered. “It’s a queer place. Seems to me as if there’d been a bit o’ prunin’ done here an’ there, later than ten year’ ago.” “But how could it have been done?” said Mary. He was examining a branch of a standard rose and he shook his head. “Aye! how could it!” he murmured. “With th’ door locked an’ th’ key buried.” Mistress Mary always felt that however many years she lived she should never forget that first morning when her garden began to grow. Of course, it did seem to begin to grow for her that morning. When Dickon began to clear places to plant seeds, she remembered what Basil had sung at her when he wanted to tease her. “Are there any flowers that look like bells?” she inquired. “Lilies o’ th’ valley does,” he answered, digging away with the trowel, “an’ there’s Canterbury bells, an’ campanulas.” “Let’s plant some,” said Mary. “There’s lilies o’ th, valley here already; I saw ‘em. They’ll have growed too close an’ we’ll have to separate ‘em, but there’s plenty. Th’ other ones takes two years to bloom from seed, but I can bring you some bits o’ plants from our cottage garden. Why does tha’ want ‘em?” Then Mary told him about Basil and his brothers and sisters in India and of how she had hated them and of their calling her “Mistress Mary Quite Contrary.” “They used to dance round and sing at me. They sang— `Mistress Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells, and cockle shells, And marigolds all in a row.’ I just remembered it and it made me wonder if there were really flowers like silver bells.” She frowned a little and gave her trowel a rather spiteful dig into the earth. “I wasn’t as contrary as they were.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—15
But Dickon laughed. “Eh!” he said, and as he crumbled the rich black soil she saw he was sniffing up the scent of it. “There doesn’t seem to be no need for no one to be contrary when there’s flowers an’ such like, an’ such lots o’ friendly wild things runnin’ about makin’ homes for themselves, or buildin’ nests an’ singin’ an’ whistlin’, does there?” Mary, kneeling by him holding the seeds, looked at him and stopped frowning. “Dickon,” she said, “you are as nice as Martha said you were. I like you, and you make the fifth person. I never thought I should like five people.” Dickon sat up on his heels as Martha did when she was polishing the grate. He did look funny and delightful, Mary thought, with his round blue eyes and red cheeks and happy looking turned-up nose. “Only five folk as tha’ likes?” he said. “Who is th’ other four?” “Your mother and Martha,” Mary checked them off on her fingers, “and the robin and Ben Weatherstaff.” Dickon laughed so that he was obliged to stifle the sound by putting his arm over his mouth. “I know tha’ thinks I’m a queer lad,” he said, “but I think tha’ art th’ queerest little lass I ever saw.” Then Mary did a strange thing. She leaned forward and asked him a question she had never dreamed of asking any one before. And she tried to ask it in Yorkshire because that was his language, and in India a native was always pleased if you knew his speech. “Does tha’ like me?” she said. “Eh!” he answered heartily, “that I does. I likes thee wonderful, an’ so does th’ robin, I do believe!” “That’s two, then,” said Mary. “That’s two for me.” And then they began to work harder than ever and more joyfully. Mary was startled and sorry when she heard the big clock in the courtyard strike the hour of her midday dinner. “I shall have to go,” she said mournfully. “And you will have to go too, won’t you?” Dickon grinned. “My dinner’s easy to carry about with me,” he said. “Mother always lets me put a bit o’ somethin’ in my pocket.” He picked up his coat from the grass and brought out of a pocket a lumpy little bundle tied up in a quite clean, coarse, blue and white handkerchief. It held two thick pieces of bread with a slice of something laid between them. “It’s oftenest naught but bread,” he said, “but I’ve got a fine slice o’ fat bacon with it today.” Mary thought it looked a queer dinner, but he seemed ready to enjoy it. “Run on an’ get thy victuals,” he said. “I’ll be done with mine first. I’ll get some more work done before I start back home.” He sat down with his back against a tree. “I’ll call th’ robin up,” he said, “and give him th’ rind o’ th’ bacon to peck at. They likes a bit o’ fat wonderful.” Mary could scarcely bear to leave him. Suddenly it seemed as if he might be a sort of wood fairy who might be gone when she came into the garden again. He seemed too good to be true. She went
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 21—16
slowly half-way to the door in the wall and then she stopped and went back. “Whatever happens, you—you never would tell?” she said. His poppy-colored cheeks were distended with his first big bite of bread and bacon, but he managed to smile encouragingly. “If tha’ was a missel thrush an’ showed me where thy nest was, does tha’ think I’d tell any one? Not me,” he said. “Tha’ art as safe as a missel thrush.” And she was quite sure she was.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 22—1
Lesson 22
Imagery The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will be able to identify imagery as it is used in the novel. The student will also be able to compare and contrast several characters from the novel. Key Vocabulary: Venn Diagram, Imagery Materials Needed: Writing journal, a copy of Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Literary Selections: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett and Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Engage: Engaging Question: Recall one of your favorite photographs or paintings. Using only words, describe that image in your journal as if you were speaking to an audience. Additional Notes to the Teacher: Once the student has responded to the Engaging Question, have her student create a triple Venn diagram illustrating the similarities and differences between the characters of Mary, Dickon, and Colin. Explain that imagery occurs when an author uses descriptive words or phrases to describe something in a story in order to give the reader the feeling she is experiencing what the characters are experiencing in the story. Continue to explain that many times, imagery can be found by examining the author’s use of the five senses: sight, smell, taste, sound, and touch. Read Where the Wild Things Are aloud, paying particular attention to the pictures accompanying each page of the story. Have the student fill out the Senses Chart when the story is completed. The use of this chart will help her detect where the imagery occurs in this children’s book. Lesson Wrap-up: Have the student complete the Imagery Activity to assess her understanding of the material.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 22—1
Lesson 22
Imagery The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Recall one of your favorite photographs or paintings. Using only words, describe that image in your journal as if you are sharing it with an audience. You will begin this Lesson by creating a Triple Venn Diagram illustrating the similarities and differences between the characters of Mary, Dickon, and Colin. Which two characters are the most alike? Which two characters are the least alike? Be sure that your Venn Diagram provides a clear visual for these conclusions.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 22—2
Imagery is a figurative language function that occurs when an author uses descriptive words or phrases to describe something occurring in a story in order to give the reader the feeling as if she is experiencing what the characters are experiencing in the story. Many times, imagery can be found by examining the author’s use of the five senses: sight, smell, taste, sound, and touch. Now, listen as your teacher reads Where the Wild Things Are, paying particular attention to the pictures accompanying each page of the story. Fill out the chart below when the story is completed. The use of this chart will help you detect where the imagery occurs in this children’s book. SIGHT
SMELL
TASTE
SOUND
TOUCH
Lesson Wrap-Up: As an assessment of your understanding, complete the Imagery Activity below.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 22—3
Imagery Activity Part 1: Choose three chapters from the novel The Secret Garden and complete the imagery chart based on these chapters. Note next to the example in the chart the page number, paragraph number, and chapter in which the imagery appeared. SIGHT
SMELL
TASTE
SOUND
TOUCH
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 22—4
Part 2: Go back to the picture of a secret garden that you drew in your journal during Lesson 13. In a well-written paragraph, explain your drawing using as much imagery as possible, noting how the picture reflects sight, smell, taste, sound and touch. Remember that when writing a good paragraph, you must include a topic sentence introducing the main idea of your paragraph, supporting details or examples that explain your topic, and a conclusion statement that restates the topic sentence.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—1
Lesson 23
Character Development The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will gain awareness of how a character changes or develops throughout the course of a story. Key Vocabulary Needed: Curtsy, Charm, Carriage Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: How has Mary’s character changed over the course of the novel thus far? What has been the most noticeable difference? How would you describe Mary now as to how you would have described Mary at the beginning of the novel? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Have the student respond to the Engaging Questions. Explain that the changes show how Mary, or any character, develops as the story develops. Assign Chapters Twelve and Thirteen and the corresponding Study Questions. The student will then take a quiz on the first ten chapters of The Secret Garden. The Secret Garden Quiz Answer Key: 1. In what country was Mary born? India 2. Why did she move to Misselthwaite Manor? Her parents died and her guardian lived at Misselthwaite Manor. 3. Who was her guardian? Her uncle, Lord Craven 4. What is the housekeeper’s name? Mrs. Medlock 5. Who is the maid that takes care of Mary? Martha 6. Who does Mary hear crying in the night? Colin
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—2
Why is the garden locked? Because it was her aunt’s garden. Her aunt died after an accident in the garden and it made her uncle sad. Who is the gruff gardener? Ben Weatherstaff 9. Who charms animals? Dickon 10. Why don’t people like Mary? Answers should vary from her outward behavior such as because she is rude, sad, and unfriendly to her being shy, frightened or misunderstood.
Chapters Twelve and Thirteen Study Question Answers: Describe the kind of garden Mary and Dickon agree they want. Why do you think they both feel this way about the garden? Answers will vary Describe how Mary finds Colin Craven. Answers will vary Describe Colin. Is Colin locked in his room? Explain. Answers will vary What does Mary think about Mr. Craven when she finds him in the sitting room. She finds that he is not exactly a hunchback, and that he would be handsome if he didn’t look so miserable. What is Mary’s request to Mr. Craven? Why is he moved by this request? She asks for a “bit of earth” for her gardening; Her request reminds Mr. Craven of his late wife’s love of the garden. What does Mary hear in the midst of the storm? What does she do about the noise? She hears a child crying and goes to find the child in the room. She finds a boy lying in a 4-poster bed, looking ill and crying. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to think of a situation involving a character in a story or movie that requires the lead character to develop in order to be a part of the situation or action of the story. [Example: If a Super Hero doesn’t develop or discover his or her special power, the story can’t be about a Super Hero with Super Powers.]
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—1
Lesson 23
Plot The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
How has Mary’s character changed over the course of the novel thus far? What has been the most noticeable difference? How would you describe Mary now as to opposed to how you would have described Mary at the beginning of the novel? Recognizing the changes in a character shows how and why the author develops a character as the story develops. If the character doesn’t develop, or grow, or change, the story surrounding that character can’t change either. To begin this Lesson, you are going to take a quiz on the first ten chapters of the novel. You will then read Chapters Twelve and Thirteen and answer the corresponding Study Questions. Lesson Wrap-Up: Can you think of a situation involving a character in a story or movie that requires the lead character to develop in order to be a part of the situation or action of the story?
STUDENT MANUAL
The Secret Garden Quiz 1. In what country was Mary born?
2. Why did she move to Misselthwaite Manor?
3. Who was her guardian?
4. What is the housekeeper’s name?
5. Who is the maid that takes care of Mary?
6. Who does Mary hear crying in the night?
7. Why is the garden locked?
8. Who is the gruff gardener?
9. Who charms animals?
10. Why don’t people like Mary?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—2
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—3
Chapters Twelve and Thirteen Study Questions Describe the kind of garden Mary and Dickon agree they want. Why do you think they both feel this way about the garden?
Describe how Mary finds Colin Craven.
Describe Colin. Is Colin locked in his room? Explain.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—4
What does Mary think about Mr. Craven when she finds him in the sitting room.
What is Mary’s request to Mr. Craven? Why is he moved by this request?
What does Mary hear in the midst of the storm? What does she do about the noise?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—5
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER XII “MIGHT I HAVE A BIT OF EARTH?”
Mary ran so fast that she was rather out of breath when she reached her room. Her hair was ruffled on her forehead and her cheeks were bright pink. Her dinner was waiting on the table, and Martha was waiting near it. “Tha’s a bit late,” she said. “Where has tha’ been?” “I’ve seen Dickon!” said Mary. “I’ve seen Dickon!” “I knew he’d come,” said Martha exultantly. “How does tha’ like him?” “I think—I think he’s beautiful!” said Mary in a determined voice. Martha looked rather taken aback but she looked pleased, too. “Well,” she said, “he’s th’ best lad as ever was born, but us never thought he was handsome. His nose turns up too much.” “I like it to turn up,” said Mary. “An’ his eyes is so round,” said Martha, a trifle doubtful. “Though they’re a nice color.” “I like them round,” said Mary. “And they are exactly the color of the sky over the moor.” Martha beamed with satisfaction. “Mother says he made ‘em that color with always lookin’ up at th’ birds an’ th’ clouds. But he has got a big mouth, hasn’t he, now?” “I love his big mouth,” said Mary obstinately. “I wish mine were just like it.” Martha chuckled delightedly. “It’d look rare an’ funny in thy bit of a face,” she said. “But I knowed it would be that way when tha’ saw him. How did tha’ like th’ seeds an’ th’ garden tools?” “How did you know he brought them?” asked Mary. “Eh! I never thought of him not bringin’ ‘em. He’d be sure to bring ‘em if they was in Yorkshire. He’s such a trusty lad.” Mary was afraid that she might begin to ask difficult questions, but she did not. She was very much interested in the seeds and gardening tools, and there was only one moment when Mary was frightened. This was when she began to ask where the flowers were to be planted. “Who did tha’ ask about it?” she inquired.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—6
“I haven’t asked anybody yet,” said Mary, hesitating. “Well, I wouldn’t ask th’ head gardener. He’s too grand, Mr. Roach is.” “I’ve never seen him,” said Mary. “I’ve only seen undergardeners and Ben Weatherstaff.” “If I was you, I’d ask Ben Weatherstaff,” advised Martha. “He’s not half as bad as he looks, for all he’s so crabbed. Mr. Craven lets him do what he likes because he was here when Mrs. Craven was alive, an’ he used to make her laugh. She liked him. Perhaps he’d find you a corner somewhere out o’ the way.” “If it was out of the way and no one wanted it, no one could mind my having it, could they?” Mary said anxiously. “There wouldn’t be no reason,” answered Martha. “You wouldn’t do no harm.” Mary ate her dinner as quickly as she could and when she rose from the table she was going to run to her room to put on her hat again, but Martha stopped her. “I’ve got somethin’ to tell you,” she said. “I thought I’d let you eat your dinner first. Mr. Craven came back this mornin’ and I think he wants to see you.” Mary turned quite pale. “Oh!” she said. “Why! Why! He didn’t want to see me when I came. I heard Pitcher say he didn’t.” “Well,” explained Martha, “Mrs. Medlock says it’s because o’ mother. She was walkin’ to Thwaite village an’ she met him. She’d never spoke to him before, but Mrs. Craven had been to our cottage two or three times. He’d forgot, but mother hadn’t an’ she made bold to stop him. I don’t know what she said to him about you but she said somethin’ as put him in th’ mind to see you before he goes away again, tomorrow.” “Oh!” cried Mary, “is he going away tomorrow? I am so glad!” “He’s goin’ for a long time. He mayn’t come back till autumn or winter. He’s goin’ to travel in foreign places. He’s always doin’ it.” “Oh! I’m so glad—so glad!” said Mary thankfully. If he did not come back until winter, or even autumn, there would be time to watch The Secret Garden come alive. Even if he found out then and took it away from her she would have had that much at least. “When do you think he will want to see—” She did not finish the sentence, because the door opened, and Mrs. Medlock walked in. She had on her best black dress and cap, and her collar was fastened with a large brooch with a picture of a man’s face on it. It was a colored photograph of Mr. Medlock who had died years ago, and she always wore it when she was dressed up. She looked nervous and excited. “Your hair’s rough,” she said quickly. “Go and brush it. Martha, help her to slip on her best dress. Mr. Craven sent me to bring her to him in his study.” All the pink left Mary’s cheeks. Her heart began to thump and she felt herself changing into a stiff, plain, silent child again. She did
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not even answer Mrs. Medlock, but turned and walked into her bedroom, followed by Martha. She said nothing while her dress was changed, and her hair brushed, and after she was quite tidy she followed Mrs. Medlock down the corridors, in silence. What was there for her to say? She was obliged to go and see Mr. Craven and he would not like her, and she would not like him. She knew what he would think of her. She was taken to a part of the house she had not been into before. At last Mrs. Medlock knocked at a door, and when some one said, “Come in,” they entered the room together. A man was sitting in an armchair before the fire, and Mrs. Medlock spoke to him. “This is Miss Mary, sir,” she said. “You can go and leave her here. I will ring for you when I want you to take her away,” said Mr. Craven. When she went out and closed the door, Mary could only stand waiting, a plain little thing, twisting her thin hands together. She could see that the man in the chair was not so much a hunchback as a man with high, rather crooked shoulders, and he had black hair streaked with white. He turned his head over his high shoulders and spoke to her. “Come here!” he said. Mary went to him. He was not ugly. His face would have been handsome if it had not been so miserable. He looked as if the sight of her worried and fretted him and as if he did not know what in the world to do with her. “Are you well?” he asked. “Yes,” answered Mary. “Do they take good care of you?”“Yes.” He rubbed his forehead fretfully as he looked her over. “You are very thin,” he said. “I am getting fatter,” Mary answered in what she knew was her stiffest way. What an unhappy face he had! His black eyes seemed as if they scarcely saw her, as if they were seeing something else, and he could hardly keep his thoughts upon her. “I forgot you,” he said. “How could I remember you? I intended to send you a governess or a nurse, or some one of that sort, but I forgot.” Please,” began Mary. “Please—” and then the lump in her throat choked her. What do you want to say?” he inquired. I am—I am too big for a nurse,” said Mary. “And please-please don’t make me have a governess yet.” He rubbed his forehead again and stared at her. “That was what the Sowerby woman said,” he muttered absentmindedly. Then Mary gathered a scrap of courage.”Is she—is she Martha’s mother?” she stammered. “Yes, I think so,” he replied.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—8
“She knows about children,” said Mary. “She has twelve. She knows.” He seemed to rouse himself. “What do you want to do?” “I want to play out of doors,” Mary answered, hoping that her voice did not tremble. “I never liked it in India. It makes me hungry here, and I am getting fatter.” He was watching her. “Mrs. Sowerby said it would do you good. Perhaps it will,” he said. “She thought you had better get stronger before you had a governess.” “It makes me feel strong when I play and the wind comes over the moor,” argued Mary. “Where do you play?” he asked next. “Everywhere,” gasped Mary. “Martha’s mother sent me a skipping-rope. I skip and run—and I look about to see if things are beginning to stick up out of the earth. I don’t do any harm.” “Don’t look so frightened,” he said in a worried voice.”You could not do any harm, a child like you! You may do what you like.” Mary put her hand up to her throat because she was afraid he might see the excited lump which she felt jump into it. She came a step nearer to him. “May I?” she said tremulously. Her anxious little face seemed to worry him more than ever. “Don’t look so frightened,” he exclaimed. “Of course you may. I am your guardian, though I am a poor one for any child. I cannot give you time or attention. I am too ill, and wretched and distracted; but I wish you to be happy and comfortable. I don’t know anything about children, but Mrs. Medlock is to see that you have all you need. I sent for you to-day because Mrs. Sowerby said I ought to see you. Her daughter had talked about you. She thought you needed fresh air and freedom and running about.” “She knows all about children,” Mary said again in spite of herself. “She ought to,” said Mr. Craven. “I thought her rather bold to stop me on the moor, but she said—Mrs. Craven had been kind to her.” It seemed hard for him to speak his dead wife’s name. “She is a respectable woman. Now I have seen you I think she said sensible things. Play out of doors as much as you like. It’s a big place and you may go where you like and amuse yourself as you like. Is there anything you want?” as if a sudden thought had struck him. “Do you want toys, books, dolls?” “Might I,” quavered Mary, “might I have a bit of earth?” In her eagerness she did not realize how queer the words would sound and that they were not the ones she had meant to say. Mr. Craven looked quite startled. “Earth!” he repeated. “What do you mean?” “To plant seeds in—to make things grow—to see them come alive,” Mary faltered. He gazed at
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her a moment and then passed his hand quickly over his eyes. “Do you—care about gardens so much,” he said slowly. “I didn’t know about them in India,” said Mary. “I was always ill and tired and it was too hot. I sometimes made littlebeds in the sand and stuck flowers in them. But here it is different.” Mr. Craven got up and began to walk slowly across the room. “A bit of earth,” he said to himself, and Mary thought that somehow she must have reminded him of something. When he stopped and spoke to her his dark eyes looked almost soft and kind. “You can have as much earth as you want,” he said. “You remind me of some one else who loved the earth and things that grow. When you see a bit of earth you want,” with something like a smile, “take it, child, and make it come alive.” “May I take it from anywhere—if it’s not wanted?” “Anywhere,” he answered. “There! You must go now, I am tired.” He touched the bell to call Mrs. Medlock. “Good-by. I shall be away all summer.” Mrs. Medlock came so quickly that Mary thought she must have been waiting in the corridor. “Mrs. Medlock,” Mr. Craven said to her, “now I have seen the child I understand what Mrs. Sowerby meant. She must be less delicate before she begins Lessons. Give her simple, healthy food. Let her run wild in the garden. Don’t look after her too much. She needs liberty and fresh air and romping about. Mrs. Sowerby is to come and see her now and then and she may sometimes go to the cottage.” Mrs. Medlock looked pleased. She was relieved to hear that she need not “look after” Mary too much. She had felt her a tiresome charge and had indeed seen as little of her as she dared. In addition to this she was fond of Martha’s mother. “Thank you, sir,” she said. “Susan Sowerby and me went to school together and she’s as sensible and good-hearted a woman as you’d find in a day’s walk. I never had any children myself and she’s had twelve, and there never was healthier or better ones. Miss Mary can get no harm from them. I’d always take Susan Sowerby’s advice about children myself. She’s what you might call healthyminded—if you understand me.” “I understand,” Mr. Craven answered. “Take Miss Mary away now and send Pitcher to me.” When Mrs. Medlock left her at the end of her own corridor Mary flew back to her room. She found Martha waiting there. Martha had, in fact, hurried back after she had removed the dinner service. “I can have my garden!” cried Mary. “I may have it where I like! I am not going to have a governess for a long time! Your mother is coming to see me and I may go to your cottage! He says a little girl like me could not do any harm and I may do what I like—anywhere!” “Eh!” said Martha delightedly, “that was nice of him wasn’t it?” “Martha,” said Mary solemnly, “he is really a nice man, only his face is so miserable and his forehead is all drawn together.” She ran as quickly as she could to the garden. She had been away so much longer than she had thought she should and she knew Dickon would have to set out early on
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his five-mile walk. When she slipped through the door under the ivy, she saw he was not working where she had left him. The gardening tools were laid together under a tree. She ran to them, looking all round the place, but there was no Dickon to be seen. He had gone away and The Secret Garden was empty—except for the robin who had just flown across the wall and sat on a standard rose-bush watching her. He’s gone,” she said woefully. “Oh! was he—was he—was he only a wood fairy?” Something white fastened to the standard rose-bush caught her eye. It was a piece of paper, in fact, it was a piece of the letter she had printed for Martha to send to Dickon. It was fastened on the bush with a long thorn, and in a minute she knew Dickon had left it there. There were some roughly printed letters on it and a sort of picture. At first she could not tell what it was. Then she saw it was meant for a nest with a bird sitting on it. Underneath were the printed letters and they said: “I will come back.”
CHAPTER XIII “I AM COLIN” Mary took the picture back to the house when she went to her supper and she showed it to Martha. “Eh!” said Martha with great pride. “I never knew our Dickon was as clever as that. That there’s a picture of a missel thrush on her nest, as large as life an’ twice as natural.” Then Mary knew Dickon had meant the picture to be a message. He had meant that she might be sure he would keep her secret. Her garden was her nest and she was like a missel thrush. Oh, how she did like that [odd] common boy! She hoped he would come back the very next day and she fell asleep looking forward to the morning. But you never know what the weather will do in Yorkshire, particularly in the springtime. She was awakened in the night by the sound of rain beating with heavy drops against her window. It was pouring down in torrents and the wind was “wuthering” round the corners and in the chimneys of the huge old house. Mary sat up in bed and felt miserable and angry. “The rain is as contrary as I ever was,” she said. “It came because it knew I did not want it.” She threw herself back on her pillow and buried her face. She did not cry, but she lay and hated the sound of the heavily beating rain, she hated the wind and its “wuthering.” She could not go to sleep again. The mournful sound kept her awake because she felt mournful herself. If she had felt happy it would probably have lulled her to sleep. How it “wuthered” and how the big raindrops poured down and beat against the pane! “It sounds just like a person lost on the moor and wandering on and on crying,” she said. She had been lying awake turning from side to side for about an hour, when suddenly something made her sit up in bed and turn her head toward the door listening. She listened and she listened. “It isn’t the wind now,” she said in a loud whisper. “That isn’t the wind. It is different. It is that crying I heard before.” The door of her room was ajar and the sound came down the corridor, a far-
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off faint sound of fretful crying. She listened for a few minutes and each minute she became more and more sure. She felt as if she must find out what it was. It seemed even stranger than The Secret Garden and the buried key. Perhaps the fact that she was in a rebellious mood made her bold. She put her foot out of bed and stood on the floor. “I am going to find out what it is,” she said. “Everybody is in bed and I don’t care about Mrs. Medlock—I don’t care!” There was a candle by her bedside and she took it up and went softly out of the room. The corridor looked very long and dark, but she was too excited to mind that. She thought she remembered the corners she must turn to find the short corridor with the door covered with tapestry—the one Mrs. Medlock had come through the day she lost herself. The sound had come up that passage. So she went on with her dim light, almost feeling her way, her heart beating so loud that she fancied she could hear it. The far-off faint crying went on and led her. Sometimes it stopped for a moment or so and then began again. Was this the right corner to turn? She stopped and thought. Yes it was. Down this passage and then to the left, and then up two broad steps, and then to the right again. Yes, there was the tapestry door. She pushed it open very gently and closed it behind her, and she stood in the corridor and could hear the crying quite plainly, though it was not loud. It was on the other side of the wall at her left and a few yards farther on there was a door. She could see a glimmer of light coming from beneath it. The Someone was crying in that room, and it was quite a young Someone. So she walked to the door and pushed it open, and there she was standing in the room! It was a big room with ancient, handsome furniture in it. There was a low fire glowing faintly on the hearth and a night light burning by the side of a carved four-posted bed hung with brocade, and on the bed was lying a boy, crying fretfully. Mary wondered if she was in a real place or if she had fallen asleep again and was dreaming without knowing it. The boy had a sharp, delicate face the color of ivory and he seemed to have eyes too big for it. He had also a lot of hair which tumbled over his forehead in heavy locks and made his thin face seem smaller. He looked like a boy who had been ill, but he was crying more as if he were tired and cross than as if he were in pain. Mary stood near the door with her candle in her hand, holding her breath. Then she crept across the room, and, as she drew nearer, the light attracted the boy’s attention and he turned his head on his pillow and stared at her, his gray eyes opening so wide that they seemed immense. “Who are you?” he said at last in a half-frightened whisper. “Are you a ghost?” “No, I am not,” Mary answered, her own whisper sounding half frightened. “Are you one?” He stared and stared and stared. Mary could not help noticing what strange eyes he had. They were agate gray and they looked too big for his face because they had black lashes all round them. “No,” he replied after waiting a moment or so. “I am Colin.” “Who is Colin?” she faltered.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—12
“I am Colin Craven. Who are you?” “I am Mary Lennox. Mr. Craven is my uncle.” “He is my father,” said the boy. “Your father!” gasped Mary. “No one ever told me he had a boy! Why didn’t they?” “Come here,” he said, still keeping his strange eyes fixed on her with an anxious expression. She came close to the bed and he put out his hand and touched her. “You are real, aren’t you?” he said. “I have such real dreams very often. You might be one of them.” Mary had slipped on a woolen wrapper before she left her room and she put a piece of it between his fingers. “Rub that and see how thick and warm it is,” she said. “I will pinch you a little if you like, to show you how real I am. For a minute I thought you might be a dream too.” “Where did you come from?” he asked. “From my own room. The wind wuthered so I couldn’t go to sleep and I heard some one crying and wanted to find out who it was. What were you crying for?” “Because I couldn’t go to sleep either and my head ached. Tell me your name again.” Mary Lennox. Did no one ever tell you I had come to live here?” He was still fingering the fold of her wrapper, but he began to look a little more as if he believed in her reality. “No,” he answered. “They daren’t.” “Why?” asked Mary. “Because I should have been afraid you would see me. I won’t let people see me and talk me over.” “Why?” Mary asked again, feeling more mystified every moment. “Because I am like this always, ill and having to lie down. My father won’t let people talk me over either. The servants are not allowed to speak about me. If I live I may be a hunchback, but I shan’t live. My father hates to think I may be like him.” “Oh, what a queer house this is!” Mary said. “What a queer house! Everything is a kind of secret. Rooms are locked up and gardens are locked up—and you! Have you been locked up?” “No. I stay in this room because I don’t want to be moved out of it. It tires me too much.” “Does your father come and see you?” Mary ventured.
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“Sometimes. Generally when I am asleep. He doesn’t want to see me.” “Why?” Mary could not help asking again. A sort of angry shadow passed over the boy’s face. “My mother died when I was born and it makes him wretched to look at me. He thinks I don’t know, but I’ve heard people talking. He almost hates me.” “He hates the garden, because she died,” said Mary half speaking to herself. “What garden?” the boy asked. “Oh! just—just a garden she used to like,” Mary stammered. “Have you been here always?” “Nearly always. Sometimes I have been taken to places at the seaside, but I won’t stay because people stare at me. I used to wear an iron thing to keep my back straight, but a grand doctor came from London to see me and said it was stupid. He told them to take it off and keep me out in the fresh air. I hate fresh air and I don’t want to go out.” “I didn’t when first I came here,” said Mary. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?” “Because of the dreams that are so real,” he answered rather fretfully. “Sometimes when I open my eyes I don’t believe I’m awake.” “We’re both awake,” said Mary. She glanced round the room with its high ceiling and shadowy corners and dim fire-light. “It looks quite like a dream, and it’s the middle of the night, and everybody in the house is asleep—everybody but us. We are wide awake.” “I don’t want it to be a dream,” the boy said restlessly. Mary thought of something all at once. “If you don’t like people to see you,” she began, “do you want me to go away?” He still held the fold of her wrapper and he gave it a little pull. “No,” he said. “I should be sure you were a dream if you went. If you are real, sit down on that big footstool and talk. I want to hear about you.” Mary put down her candle on the table near the bed and sat down on the cushioned stool. She did not want to go away at all. She wanted to stay in the mysterious hidden-away room and talk to the mysterious boy. “What do you want me to tell you?” she said. He wanted to know how long she had been at Misselthwaite; he wanted to know which corridor her room was on; he wanted to know what she had been doing; if she disliked the moors he disliked it; where she had lived before she came to Yorkshire. She answered all these questions and many more and he lay back on his pillow and listened. He made her tell him a great deal about India and about her voyage across the ocean. She found out that because he had been an invalid he had not learned things as other children had. One of his nurses had taught him to read when he was quite little and he was always reading and looking at pictures in splendid books. Though his father rarely saw him when he was awake,
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he was given all sorts of wonderful things to amuse himself with. He never seemed to have been amused, however. He could have anything he asked for and was never made to do anything he did not like to do. “Everyone is obliged to do what pleases me,” he said indifferently. “It makes me ill to be angry. No one believes I shall live to grow up.” He said it as if he was so accustomed to the idea that it had ceased to matter to him at all. He seemed to like the sound of Mary’s voice. As she went on talking he listened in a drowsy, interested way. Once or twice she wondered if he were not gradually falling into a doze. But at last he asked a question which opened up a new subject. “How old are you?” he asked. “I am ten,” answered Mary, forgetting herself for the moment, “and so are you.” “How do you know that?” he demanded in a surprised voice. “Because when you were born the garden door was locked and the key was buried. And it has been locked for ten years.” Colin half sat up, turning toward her, leaning on his elbows. “What garden door was locked? Who did it? Where was the key buried?” he exclaimed as if he were suddenly very much interested. “It—it was the garden Mr. Craven hates,” said Mary nervously. “He locked the door. No one— no one knew where he buried the key.” “What sort of a garden is it?” Colin persisted eagerly. “No one has been allowed to go into it for ten years,”was Mary’s careful answer. But it was too late to be careful. He was too much like herself. He too had had nothing to think about and the idea of a hidden garden attracted him as it had attracted her. He asked question after question. Where was it? Had she never looked for the door? Had she never asked the gardeners? “They won’t talk about it,” said Mary. “I think they have been told not to answer questions.” “I would make them,” said Colin. “Could you?” Mary faltered, beginning to feel frightened. If he could make people answer questions, who knew what might happen! “Everyone is obliged to please me. I told you that,” he said. “If I were to live, this place would sometime belong to me. They all know that. I would make them tell me.” Mary had not known that she herself had been spoiled, but she could see quite plainly that this mysterious boy had been. He thought that the whole world belonged to him. How peculiar he was
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and how coolly he spoke of not living. “Do you think you won’t live?” she asked, partly because she was curious and partly in hope of making him forget the garden. “I don’t suppose I shall,” he answered as indifferently as he had spoken before. “Ever since I remember anything I have heard people say I shan’t. At first they thought I was too little to understand and now they think I don’t hear. But I do. My doctor is my father’s cousin. He is quite poor and if I die he will have all Misselthwaite when my father is dead. I should think he wouldn’t want me to live.” “Do you want to live?” inquired Mary. “No,” he answered, in a cross, tired fashion. “But I don’t want to die. When I feel ill I lie here and think about it until I cry and cry.” “I have heard you crying three times,” Mary said, “but I did not know who it was. Were you crying about that?” She did so want him to forget the garden. “I dare say,” he answered. “Let us talk about something else. Talk about that garden. Don’t you want to see it?” “Yes,” answered Mary, in quite a low voice. “I do,” he went on persistently. “I don’t think I ever really wanted to see anything before, but I want to see that garden. I want the key dug up. I want the door unlocked. I would let them take me there in my chair. That would be getting fresh air. I am going to make them open the door.” He had become quite excited and his strange eyes began to shine like stars and looked more immense than ever. “They have to please me,” he said. “I will make them take me there and I will let you go, too.” Mary’s hands clutched each other. Everything would be spoiled—everything! Dickon would never come back. She would never again feel like a missel thrush with a safe-hidden nest. “Oh, don’t—don’t—don’t—don’t do that!” she cried out. He stared as if he thought she had gone crazy! “Why?” he exclaimed. “You said you wanted to see it.” “I do,” she answered almost with a sob in her throat, “but if you make them open the door and take you in like that it will never be a secret again.” He leaned still farther forward. “A secret,” he said. “What do you mean? Tell me.” Mary’s words almost tumbled over one another. “You see—you see,” she panted, “if no one knows but ourselves—if there was a door, hidden somewhere under the ivy—if there was—and we could find it; and if we could slip through it together and shut it behind us, and no one knew any one was inside and we called it our garden and
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pretended that—that we were missel thrushes and it was our nest, and if we played there almost every day and dug and planted seeds and made it all come alive—” “Is it dead?” he interrupted her. “It soon will be if no one cares for it,” she went on.”The bulbs will live but the roses—” He stopped her again as excited as she was herself. “What are bulbs?” he put in quickly. “They are daffodils and lilies and snowdrops. They are working in the earth now—pushing up pale green points because the spring is coming.” “Is the spring coming?” he said. “What is it like? You don’t see it in rooms if you are ill.” “It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine, and things pushing up and working under the earth,” said Mary. “If the garden was a secret and we could get into it we could watch the things grow bigger every day, and see how many roses are alive. Don’t you. see? Oh, don’t you see how much nicer it would be if it was a secret?” He dropped back on his pillow and lay there with an odd expression on his face. “I never had a secret,” he said, “except that one about not living to grow up. They don’t know I know that, so it is a sort of secret. But I like this kind better.” “If you won’t make them take you to the garden,” pleaded Mary, “perhaps—I feel almost sure I can find out how to get in sometime. And then—if the doctor wants you to go out in your chair, and if you can always do what you want to do, perhaps—perhaps we might find some boy who would push you, and we could go alone and it would always be a secret garden.” “I should—like—that,” he said very slowly, his eyes looking dreamy. “I should like that. I should not mind fresh air in a secret garden.” Mary began to recover her breath and feel safer because the idea of keeping the secret seemed to please him. She felt almost sure that if she kept on talking and could make him see the garden in his mind as she had seen it he would like it so much that he could not bear to think that everybody might tramp in to it when they chose. “I’ll tell you what I think it would be like, if we could go into it,” she said. “It has been shut up so long things have grown into a tangle perhaps.” He lay quite still and listened while she went on talking about the roses which might have clambered from tree to tree and hung down—about the many birds which might have built their nests there because it was so safe. And then she told him about the robin and Ben Weatherstaff, and there was so much to tell about the robin and it was so easy and safe to talk about it that she ceased to be afraid. The robin pleased him so much that he smiled until he looked almost beautiful, and at first Mary had thought that he was even plainer than herself, with his big eyes and heavy locks of hair. “I did not know birds could be like that,” he said. “But if you stay in a room you never see things.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—17
What a lot of things you know. I feel as if you had been inside that garden.” She did not know what to say, so she did not say anything. He evidently did not expect an answer and the next moment he gave her a surprise. “I am going to let you look at something,” he said. “Do you see that rose-colored silk curtain hanging on the wall over the mantel-piece?” Mary had not noticed it before, but she looked up and saw it. It was a curtain of soft silk hanging over what seemed to be some picture. “Yes,” she answered. “There is a cord hanging from it,” said Colin. “Go and pull it.” Mary got up, much mystified, and found the cord. When she pulled it the silk curtain ran back on rings and when it ran back it uncovered a picture. It was the picture of a girl with a laughing face. She had bright hair tied up with a blue ribbon and her gay, lovely eyes were exactly like Colin’s unhappy ones, agate gray and looking twice as big as they really were because of the black lashes all round them. “She is my mother,” said Colin complainingly. “I don’t see why she died. Sometimes I hate her for doing it.” “How queer!” said Mary. “If she had lived I believe I should not have been ill always,” he grumbled. “I dare say I should have lived, too. And my father would not have hated to look at me. I dare say I should have had a strong back. Draw the curtain again.” Mary did as she was told and returned to her footstool. “She is much prettier than you,” she said, “but her eyes are just like yours—at least they are the same shape and color. Why is the curtain drawn over her?” He moved uncomfortably. “I made them do it,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t like to see her looking at me. She smiles too much when I am ill and miserable. Besides, she is mine and I don’t want everyone to see her.” There were a few moments of silence and then Mary spoke. “What would Mrs. Medlock do if she found out that I had been here?” she inquired. “She would do as I told her to do,” he answered. “And I should tell her that I wanted you to come here and talk to me every day. I am glad you came.” “So am I,” said Mary. “I will come as often as I can, but”—she hesitated—”I shall have to look every day for the garden door.” “Yes, you must,” said Colin, “and you can tell me about it afterward.” He lay thinking a few minutes, as he had done before, and then he spoke again. “I think you shall be a secret, too,” he said. “I will not tell them until they find out. I can always send the nurse out of the room and say that I want to be by myself. Do you know Martha?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 23—18
“Yes, I know her very well,” said Mary. “She waits on me.” He nodded his head toward the outer corridor. “She is the one who is asleep in the other room. The nurse went away yesterday to stay all night with her sister and she always makes Martha attend to me when she wants to go out. Martha shall tell you when to come here.” Then Mary understood Martha’s troubled look when she had asked questions about the crying. “Martha knew about you all the time?” she said. “Yes; she often attends to me. The nurse likes to get away from me and then Martha comes.” “I have been here a long time,” said Mary. “Shall I go away now? Your eyes look sleepy.” “I wish I could go to sleep before you leave me,” he said rather shyly. “Shut your eyes,” said Mary, drawing her footstool closer, “and I will do what my Ayah used to do in India. I will pat your hand and stroke it and sing something quite low.” “I should like that perhaps,” he said drowsily. Somehow she was sorry for him and did not want him to lie awake, so she leaned against the bed and began to stroke and pat his hand and sing a very low little chanting song in Hindustani. “That is nice,” he said more drowsily still, and she went on chanting and stroking, but when she looked at him again his black lashes were lying close against his cheeks, for his eyes were shut and he was fast asleep. So she got up softly, took her candle and crept away without making a sound.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—1
Lesson 24
Figurative Language Review The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will be able to understand figurative language as it is used in the novel. Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: Have you ever had a fight with a friend? How did you solve the problem? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin this Lesson by having the student respond to the Engaging Question in at least five complete sentences. The student will then review three of the five types of figurative language introduced in Lesson 21—simile, metaphor, and personification—and work on the example sentences provided. In this reading, Mary and Colin will have a fight. Explaining how these two characters solve the problem is key to the rest of the story. Assign Chapters Fourteen, Fifteen and Sixteen of the novel and the Study Questions based on these chapters. Figurative Language Activity Answer Key: Simile Simile Metaphor Metaphor Simile Metaphor Metaphor Metaphor Metaphor Simile Personification
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—2
Chapters Fourteen, Fifteen, and Sixteen Study Questions: Have you ever known anyone who knew as much about animals as Dickon and who spoke to them as gently and respectfully as Dickon? If you did, tell the class about that person? Answers will vary. Why are Mary and Colin able to maintain their friendship? They both have the same personalities and backgrounds. Why has Mary been cautious up until now when speaking about The Secret Garden? She does not yet trust Colin, and wants to make sure she can take Colin into the garden without anyone else knowing. Why does Mr. Craven say that he cannot look at Colin while he is awake? His eyes are too much like his mother’s eyes. What does Colin wish? Why? He wishes he had never been born because his father does not want or love him. What is the nature of Mary and Colin’s argument about Dickon? They argue because Colin calls Dickon common and Mary thinks he is an angel. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: If the student is unable to complete the Lesson Wrap-up activity in class, it should be completed as homework. Lesson Wrap-Up: Instruct the student to find five examples of similes, metaphors, or personification as he reads Chapters 14, 15 and 16 of the novel and list them in his journal.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—1
Lesson 24
Figurative Language Review The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Have you ever had a fight with a friend? How did you solve the problem? Let’s begin the Lesson with a review. Do you remember these three types of figurative language—simile, metaphor, and personification? Simile—A comparison of two things using the words “like” or “as.” Some examples of similes include: EX. His feet were as big as boats. EX. The sky pours rain as thick as draperies. EX. It winds like a snake. Metaphor—A comparison of two things that are unlike without using the words “like” or “as”. Some examples of metaphors include: EX. My memory is a little foggy. EX. His hair was bone white. Personification—Giving an idea, object, or animal human traits. EX. The screaming wind whistled through the spruce trees. EX. The snow speaks softly to the people.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—2
Figurative Language Activity Read the following example sentences and circle the figurative language in each sentence. The baby was like an octopus, grabbing at all the cans on the grocery store shelves. As the teacher entered the room she muttered under her breath, “This class is like a three-ring circus!” The giant’s steps were thunder as he ran toward Jack. The pillow was a cloud when I put my head upon it after a long day. I feel like a limp dishrag. Those girls are like two peas in a pod. The fluorescent light was the sun during our test. No one invites Harold to parties because he’s a wet blanket. The bar of soap was a slippery eel during the dog’s bath. Ted was as nervous as a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs. The dark sky scowled at me.
In today’s reading, Mary and Colin will have a fight. How these two characters solve the problem provides the key to the rest of the story. Read Chapters Fourteen, Fifteen and Sixteen of the novel and answer the Study Questions based on these chapters. Lesson Wrap-Up: Find five examples of similes, metaphors, or personification as you read Chapters 14, 15 and 16 of the novel and list them in your journal.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—3
Chapters Fourteen, Fifteen, and Sixteen Study Questions Have you ever known anyone who knew as much about animals as Dickon and who spoke to them as gently and respectfully as Dickon? If you did, tell the class about that person?
Why are Mary and Colin able to maintain their friendship?
Why has Mary been cautious up until now when speaking about The Secret Garden?.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—4
Why does Mr. Craven say that he cannot look at Colin while he is awake?
What does Colin wish? Why?
What is the nature of Mary and Colin’s argument about Dickon?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—5
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER XIV A YOUNG RAJAH The moor was hidden in mist when the morning came, and the rain had not stopped pouring down. There could be no going out of doors. Martha was so busy that Mary had no opportunity of talking to her, but in the afternoon she asked her to come and sit with her in the nursery. She came bringing the stocking she was always knitting when she was doing nothing else. “What’s the matter with thee?” she asked as soon as they sat down. “Tha’ looks as if tha’d somethin’ to say.” “I have. I have found out what the crying was,” said Mary. Martha let her knitting drop on her knee and gazed at her with startled eyes. “Tha’ hasn’t!” she exclaimed. “Never!” “I heard it in the night,” Mary went on. “And I got up and went to see where it came from. It was Colin. I found him.” Martha’s face became red with fright. “Eh! Miss Mary!” she said half crying. “Tha’ shouldn’t have done it—tha’ shouldn’t! Tha’ll get me in trouble. I never told thee nothin’ about him—but tha’ll get me in trouble. I shall lose my place and what’ll mother do!” “You won’t lose your place,” said Mary. “He was glad I came. We talked and talked and he said he was glad I came.” “Was he?” cried Martha. “Art tha’ sure? Tha’ doesn’t know what he’s like when anything vexes him. He’s a big lad to cry like a baby, but when he’s in a passion he’ll fair scream just to frighten us. He knows us daren’t call our souls our own.” “He wasn’t vexed,” said Mary. “I asked him if I should go away and he made me stay. He asked me questions and I sat on a big footstool and talked to him about India and about the robin and gardens. He wouldn’t let me go. He let me see his mother’s picture. Before I left him sang him to sleep.” Martha fairly gasped with amazement. “I can scarcely believe thee!” she protested. “It’s as if tha’d walked straight into a lion’s den. If he’d been like he is most times he’d have throwed himself into one of his tantrums and roused th’ house. He won’t let strangers look at him.” “He let me look at him. I looked at him all the time and he looked at me. We stared!” said Mary. “I don’t know what to do!” cried agitated Martha. “If Mrs. Medlock finds out, she’ll think I broke orders and told thee and I shall be packed back to mother.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—6
“He is not going to tell Mrs. Medlock anything about it yet. It’s to be a sort of secret just at first,” said Mary firmly. “And he says everybody is obliged to do as he pleases.” “Aye, that’s true enough—th’ bad lad!” sighed Martha, wiping her forehead with her apron. “He says Mrs. Medlock must. And he wants me to come and talk to him every day. And you are to tell me when he wants me.” “Me!” said Martha; “I shall lose my place—I shall for sure!” “You can’t if you are doing what he wants you to do and everybody is ordered to obey him,” Mary argued. “Does tha’ mean to say,” cried Martha with wide open eyes, “that he was nice to thee!” “I think he almost liked me,” Mary answered. “Then tha’ must have bewitched him!” decided Martha, drawing a long breath. “Do you mean Magic?” inquired Mary. “I’ve heard about Magic in India, but I can’t make it. I just went into his room and I was so surprised to see him I stood and stared. And then he turned round and stared at me. And he thought I was a ghost or a dream and I thought perhaps he was. And it was so queer being there alone together in the middle of the night and not knowing about each other. And we began to ask each other questions. And when I asked him if I must go away he said I must not.” “Th’ world’s comin’ to a end!” gasped Martha. “What is the matter with him?” asked Mary. “Nobody knows for sure and certain,” said Martha. “Mr. Craven went off his head like when he was born. Th’ doctors thought he’d have to be put in a ‘sylum. It was because Mrs. Craven died like I told you. He wouldn’t set eyes on th’ baby. He just raved and said it’d be another hunchback like him and it’d better die.” “Is Colin a hunchback?” Mary asked. “He didn’t look like one.” “He isn’t yet,” said Martha. “But he began all wrong. Mother said that there was enough trouble and raging in th’ house to set any child wrong. They was afraid his back was weak an’ they’ve always been takin’ care of it—keepin’ him lyin’ down and not lettin’ him walk. Once they made him wear a brace but he fretted so he was downright ill. Then a big doctor came to see him an’ made them take it off. He talked to th’ other doctor quite rough—in a polite way. He said there’d been too much medicine and too much lettin’ him have his own way.” “I think he’s a very spoiled boy,” said Mary. “He’s th’ worst young nowt as ever was!” said Martha. “I won’t say as he hasn’t been ill a good bit. He’s had coughs an’ colds that’s nearly killed him two or three times. Once he had rheumatic fever an’ once he had typhoid. Eh! Mrs. Medlock did get a fright then. He’d been out of his head
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—7
an’ she was talkin’ to th’ nurse, thinkin’ he didn’t know nothin’, an’ she said, `He’ll die this time sure enough, an’ best thing for him an’ for everybody.’ An’ she looked at him an’ there he was with his big eyes open, starin’ at her as sensible as she was herself. She didn’t know wha’d happen but he just stared at her an’ says, `You give me some water an’ stop talkin’.’” “Do you think he will die?” asked Mary. “Mother says there’s no reason why any child should live that gets no fresh air an’ doesn’t do nothin’ but lie on his back an’ read picture-books an’ take medicine. He’s weak and hates th’ trouble o’ bein’ taken out o’ doors, an’ he gets cold so easy he says it makes him ill.” Mary sat and looked at the fire. “I wonder,” she said slowly, “if it would not do him good to go out into a garden and watch things growing. It did me good.” “One of th’ worst fits he ever had,” said Martha, “was one time they took him out where the roses is by the fountain. He’d been readin’ in a paper about people gettin’ somethin’ he called `rose cold’ an’ he began to sneeze an’ said he’d got it an’ then a new gardener as didn’t know th’ rules passed by an’ looked at him curious. He threw himself into a passion an’ he said he’d looked at him because he was going to be a hunchback. He cried himself into a fever an’ was ill all night.” “If he ever gets angry at me, I’ll never go and see him again,” said Mary. “He’ll have thee if he wants thee,” said Martha. “Tha’ may as well know that at th’ start.” Very soon afterward a bell rang and she rolled up her knitting. “I dare say th’ nurse wants me to stay with him a bit,”she said. “I hope he’s in a good temper.” She was out of the room about ten minutes and then she came back with a puzzled expression. “Well, tha’ has bewitched him,” she said. “He’s up on his sofa with his picture-books. He’s told the nurse to stay away until six o’clock. I’m to wait in the next room. Th’ minute she was gone he called me to him an’ says, `I want Mary Lennox to come and talk to me, and remember you’re not to tell any one.’ You’d better go as quick as you can.” Mary was quite willing to go quickly. She did not want to see Colin as much as she wanted to see Dickon; but she wanted to see him very much. There was a bright fire on the hearth when she entered his room, and in the daylight she saw it was a very beautiful room indeed. There were rich colors in the rugs and hangings and pictures and books on the walls which made it look glowing and comfortable even in spite of the gray sky and falling rain. Colin looked rather like a picture himself. He was wrapped in a velvet dressing-gown and sat against a big brocaded cushion. He had a red spot on each cheek. “Come in,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about you all morning.” “I’ve been thinking about you, too,” answered Mary. “You don’t know how frightened Martha is. She says Mrs. Medlock will think she told me about you and then she will be sent away.” He frowned. “Go and tell her to come here,” he said. “She is in the next room.” Mary went and brought her
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—8
back. Poor Martha was shaking in her shoes. Colin was still frowning. “Have you to do what I please or have you not?” he demanded. “I have to do what you please, sir,” Martha faltered, turning quite red. “Has Medlock to do what I please?” “Everybody has, sir,” said Martha. “Well, then, if I order you to bring Miss Mary to me, how can Medlock send you away if she finds it out?” “Please don’t let her, sir,” pleaded Martha. “I’ll send her away if she dares to say a word about such a thing,” said Master Craven grandly. “She wouldn’t like that, I can tell you.” “Thank you, sir,” bobbing a curtsy, “I want to do my duty, sir.” “What I want is your duty” said Colin more grandly still. “I’ll take care of you. Now go away.” When the door closed behind Martha, Colin found Mistress Mary gazing at him as if he had set her wondering. “Why do you look at me like that?” he asked her.”What are you thinking about?” “I am thinking about two things.” “What are they? Sit down and tell me.” “This is the first one,” said Mary, seating herself on the big stool. “Once in India I saw a boy who was a Rajah. He had rubies and emeralds and diamonds stuck all over him. He spoke to his people just as you spoke to Martha. Everybody had to do everything he told them—in a minute. I think they would have been killed if they hadn’t.” “I shall make you tell me about Rajahs presently,” he said, “but first tell me what the second thing was.” “I was thinking,” said Mary, “how different you are from Dickon.” “Who is Dickon?” he said. “What a queer name!” She might as well tell him, she thought she could talk about Dickon without mentioning The Secret Garden. She had liked to hear Martha talk about him. Besides, she longed to talk about him. It would seem to bring him nearer. “He is Martha’s brother. He is twelve years old,” she explained. “He is not like any one else in the world. He can charm foxes and squirrels and birds just as the natives in India charm snakes. He plays a very soft tune on a pipe and they come and listen.” There were some big books on a table at his side and he dragged one suddenly toward him. “There is a picture of a snake-charmer in this,” he exclaimed. “Come and look at it” The book
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—9
was a beautiful one with superb colored illustrations and he turned to one of them. “Can he do that?” he asked eagerly. “He played on his pipe and they listened,” Mary explained. “But he doesn’t call it Magic. He says it’s because he lives on the moor so much and he knows their ways. He says he feels sometimes as if he was a bird or a rabbit himself, he likes them so. I think he asked the robin questions. It seemed as if they talked to each other in soft chirps.” Colin lay back on his cushion and his eyes grew larger and larger and the spots on his cheeks burned. “Tell me some more about him,” he said. “He knows all about eggs and nests,” Mary went on. “And he knows where foxes and badgers and otters live. He keeps them secret so that other boys won’t find their holes and frighten them. He knows about everything that grows or lives on the moor.” “Does he like the moor?” said Colin. “How can he when it’s such a great, bare, dreary place?” “It’s the most beautiful place,” protested Mary. “Thousands of lovely things grow on it and there are thousands of little creatures all busy building nests and making holes and burrows and chippering or singing or squeaking to each other. They are so busy and having such fun under the earth or in the trees or heather. It’s their world.” “How do you know all that?” said Colin, turning on his elbow to look at her. “I have never been there once, really,” said Mary suddenly remembering. “I only drove over it in the dark. I thought it was hideous. Martha told me about it first and then Dickon. When Dickon talks about it you feel as if you saw things and heard them and as if you were standing in the heather with the sun shining and the gorse smelling like honey—and all full of bees and butterflies.” “You never see anything if you are ill,” said Colin restlessly. He looked like a person listening to a new sound in the distance and wondering what it was. “You can’t if you stay in a room,” said Mary. “I couldn’t go on the moor,” he said in a resentful tone. Mary was silent for a minute and then she said something bold. “You might—sometime.” He moved as if he were startled. “Go on the moor! How could I? I am going to die.” “How do you know?” said Mary unsympathetically. She didn’t like the way he had of talking about dying. She did not feel very sympathetic. She felt rather as if he almost boasted about it. “Oh, I’ve heard it ever since I remember,” he answered crossly. “They are always whispering about it and thinking I don’t notice. They wish I would, too.” Mistress Mary felt quite contrary. She pinched her lips together.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—10
“If they wished I would,” she said, “I wouldn’t. Who wishes you would?” “The servants—and of course Dr. Craven because he would get Misselthwaite and be rich instead of poor. He daren’t say so, but he always looks cheerful when I am worse. When I had typhoid fever his face got quite fat. I think my father wishes it, too.” “I don’t believe he does,” said Mary quite obstinately. That made Colin turn and look at her again. “Don’t you?” he said. And then he lay back on his cushion and was still, as if he were thinking. And there was quite a long silence. Perhaps they were both of them thinking strange things children do not usually think. “I like the grand doctor from London, because he made them take the iron thing off,” said Mary at last “Did he say you were going to die?” “No.” “What did he say?” “He didn’t whisper,” Colin answered. “Perhaps he knew I hated whispering. I heard him say one thing quite aloud. He said, ‘The lad might live if he would make up his mind to it. Put him in the humor.’ It sounded as if he was in a temper.” “I’ll tell you who would put you in the humor, perhaps,” said Mary reflecting. She felt as if she would like this thing to be settled one way or the other. “I believe Dickon would. He’s always talking about live things. He never talks about dead things or things that are ill. He’s always looking up in the sky to watch birds flying—or looking down at the earth to see something growing. He has such round blue eyes and they are so wide open with looking about. And he laughs such a big laugh with his wide mouth—and his cheeks are as red—as red as cherries.” She pulled her stool nearer to the sofa and her expression quite changed at the remembrance of the wide curving mouth and wide open eyes. “See here,” she said. “Don’t let us talk about dying; I don’t like it. Let us talk about living. Let us talk and talk about Dickon. And then we will look at your pictures.” It was the best thing she could have said. To talk about Dickon meant to talk about the moor and about the cottage and the fourteen people who lived in it on sixteen shillings a week—and the children who got fat on the moor grass like the wild ponies. And about Dickon’s mother—and the skipping-rope—and the moor with the sun on it—and about pale green points sticking up out of the black sod. And it was all so alive that Mary talked more than she had ever talked before—and Colin both talked and listened as he had never done either before. And they both began to laugh over nothings as children will when they are happy together. And they laughed so that in the end they were making as much noise as if they had been two ordinary healthy natural ten-year-old creatures—instead of a hard, little, unloving girl and a sickly boy who believed that he was going to die.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—11
They enjoyed themselves so much that they forgot the pictures and they forgot about the time. They had been laughing quite loudly over Ben Weatherstaff and his robin, and Colin was actually sitting up as if he had forgotten about his weak back, when he suddenly remembered something. “Do you know there is one thing we have never once thought of,” he said. “We are cousins.” It seemed so queer that they had talked so much and never remembered this simple thing that they laughed more than ever, because they had got into the humor to laugh at anything. And in the midst of the fun the door opened and in walked Dr. Craven and Mrs. Medlock. Dr. Craven started in actual alarm and Mrs. Medlock almost fell back because he had accidentally bumped against her. “Good Lord!” exclaimed poor Mrs. Medlock with her eyes almost starting out of her head. “Good Lord!” “What is this?” said Dr. Craven, coming forward. “What does it mean?” Then Mary was reminded of the boy Rajah again. Colin answered as if neither the doctor’s alarm nor Mrs. Medlock’s terror were of the slightest consequence. He was as little disturbed or frightened as if an elderly cat and dog had walked into the room. “This is my cousin, Mary Lennox,” he said. “I asked her to come and talk to me. I like her. She must come and talk to me whenever I send for her.” Dr. Craven turned reproachfully to Mrs. Medlock. “Oh, sir” she panted. “I don’t know how it’s happened. There’s not a servant on the place tha’d dare to talk—they all have their orders.” “Nobody told her anything,” said Colin. “She heard me crying and found me herself. I am glad she came. Don’t be silly, Medlock.” Mary saw that Dr. Craven did not look pleased, but it was quite plain that he dare not oppose his patient. He sat down by Colin and felt his pulse. “I am afraid there has been too much excitement. Excitement is not good for you, my boy,” he said. “I should be excited if she kept away,” answered Colin, his eyes beginning to look dangerously sparkling. “I am better. She makes me better. The nurse must bring up her tea with mine. We will have tea together.” Mrs. Medlock and Dr. Craven looked at each other in a troubled way, but there was evidently nothing to be done. “He does look rather better, sir,” ventured Mrs. Medlock. “But”—thinking the matter over— ”he looked better this morning before she came into the room.” “She came into the room last night. She stayed with me a long time. She sang a Hindustani song to me and it made me go to sleep,” said Colin. “I was better when I wakened up. I wanted my breakfast. I want my tea now. Tell nurse, Medlock.” Dr. Craven did not stay very long. He talked to the nurse for a few minutes when she came into the room and said a few words of warning to Colin. He must not talk too much; he must not forget that he was ill; he must not forget that he was very easily tired. Mary thought that there seemed to
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—12
be a number of uncomfortable things he was not to forget. Colin looked fretful and kept his strange black-lashed eyes fixed on Dr. Craven’s face. “I want to forget it,” he said at last. “She makes me forget it. That is why I want her.” Dr. Craven did not look happy when he left the room. He gave a puzzled glance at the little girl sitting on the large stool. She had become a stiff, silent child again as soon as he entered and he could not see what the attraction was. The boy actually did look brighter, however—and he sighed rather heavily as he went down the corridor. “They are always wanting me to eat things when I don’t want to,” said Colin, as the nurse brought in the tea and put it on the table by the sofa. “Now, if you’ll eat I will. Those muffins look so nice and hot. Tell me about Rajahs.”
CHAPTER XV NEST BUILDING After another week of rain the high arch of blue sky appeared again and the sun which poured down was quite hot. Though there had been no chance to see either The Secret Garden or Dickon, Mistress Mary had enjoyed herself very much. The week had not seemed long. She had spent hours of every day with Colin in his room, talking about Rajahs or gardens or Dickon and the cottage on the moor. They had looked at the splendid books and pictures and sometimes Mary had read things to Colin, and sometimes he had read a little to her. When he was amused and interested she thought he scarcely looked like an invalid at all, except that his face was so colorless and he was always on the sofa. “You are a sly young one to listen and get out of your bed to go following things up like you did that night,” Mrs. Medlock said once. “But there’s no saying it’s not been a sort of blessing to the lot of us. He’s not had a tantrum or a whining fit since you made friends. The nurse was just going to give up the case because she was so sick of him, but she says she doesn’t mind staying now you’ve gone on duty with her,” laughing a little. In her talks with Colin, Mary had tried to be very cautious about The Secret Garden. There were certain things she wanted to find out from him, but she felt that she must find them out without asking him direct questions. In the first place, as she began to like to be with him, she wanted to discover whether he was the kind of boy you could tell a secret to. He was not in the least like Dickon, but he was evidently so pleased with the idea of a garden no one knew anything about that she thought perhaps he could be trusted. But she had not known him long enough to be sure. The second thing she wanted to find out was this: If he could be trusted—if he really could—wouldn’t it be possible to take him to the garden without having any one find it out? The grand doctor had said that he must have fresh air and Colin had said that he would not mind fresh air in a secret garden. Perhaps if he had a great deal of fresh air and knew Dickon and the robin and saw things growing he might not think so much about dying. Mary had seen herself in the glass sometimes lately when she had realized that she looked quite a different creature from the child she had seen when she arrived from India. This child looked nicer. Even Martha had seen
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—13
a change in her. “Th’ air from th’ moor has done thee good already,” she had said. “Tha’rt not nigh so yeller and tha’rt not nigh so scrawny. Even tha’ hair doesn’t slamp down on tha’ head so flat. It’s got some life in it so as it sticks out a bit.” “It’s like me,” said Mary. “It’s growing stronger and fatter. I’m sure there’s more of it.” “It looks it, for sure,” said Martha, ruffling it up a little round her face. “Tha’rt not half so ugly when it’s that way an’ there’s a bit o’ red in tha’ cheeks.” If gardens and fresh air had been good for her perhaps they would be good for Colin. But then, if he hated people to look at him, perhaps he would not like to see Dickon. “Why does it make you angry when you are looked at?” she inquired one day. “I always hated it,” he answered, “even when I was very little. Then when they took me to the seaside and I used to lie in my carriage everybody used to stare and ladies would stop and talk to my nurse and then they would begin to whisper and I knew then they were saying I shouldn’t live to grow up. Then sometimes the ladies would pat my cheeks and say `Poor child!’ Once when a lady did that I screamed out loud and bit her hand. She was so frightened she ran away.” “She thought you had gone mad like a dog,” said Mary, not at all admiringly. “I don’t care what she thought,” said Colin, frowning. “I wonder why you didn’t scream and bite me when I came into your room?” said Mary. Then she began to smile slowly. “I thought you were a ghost or a dream,” he said. “You can’t bite a ghost or a dream, and if you scream they don’t care.” “Would you hate it if—if a boy looked at you?” Mary asked uncertainly. He lay back on his cushion and paused thoughtfully. “There’s one boy,” he said quite slowly, as if he were thinking over every word, “there’s one boy I believe I shouldn’t mind. It’s that boy who knows where the foxes live—Dickon.” “I’m sure you wouldn’t mind him,” said Mary. “The birds don’t and other animals,” he said, still thinking it over, “perhaps that’s why I shouldn’t. He’s a sort of animal charmer and I am a boy animal.” Then he laughed and she laughed too; in fact it ended in their both laughing a great deal and finding the idea of a boy animal hiding in his hole very funny indeed. What Mary felt afterward was that she need not fear about Dickon. On that first morning when the sky was blue again Mary wakened very early. The sun was pouring in slanting rays through the blinds and there was something so joyous in the sight of it that
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—14
she jumped out of bed and ran to the window. She drew up the blinds and opened the window itself and a great waft of fresh, scented air blew in upon her. The moor was blue and the whole world looked as if something Magic had happened to it. There were tender little fluting sounds here and there and everywhere, as if scores of birds were beginning to tune up for a concert. Mary put her hand out of the window and held it in the sun. “It’s warm—warm!” she said. “It will make the green points push up and up and up, and it will make the bulbs and roots work and struggle with all their might under the earth.” She kneeled down and leaned out of the window as far as she could, breathing big breaths and sniffing the air until she laughed because she remembered what Dickon’s mother had said about the end of his nose quivering like a rabbit’s. “It must be very early,” she said.”The little clouds are all pink and I’ve never seen the sky look like this. No one is up. I don’t even hear the stable boys.” A sudden thought made her scramble to her feet. “I can’t wait! I am going to see the garden!” She had learned to dress herself by this time and she put on her clothes in five minutes. She knew a small side door which she could unbolt herself and she flew downstairs in her stocking feet and put on her shoes in the hall. She unchained and unbolted and unlocked and when the door was open she sprang across the step with one bound, and there she was standing on the grass, which seemed to have turned green, and with the sun pouring down on her and warm sweet wafts about her and the fluting and twittering and singing coming from every bush and tree. She clasped her hands for pure joy and looked up in the sky and it was so blue and pink and pearly and white and flooded with springtime light that she felt as if she must flute and sing aloud herself and knew that thrushes and robins and skylarks could not possibly help it. She ran around the shrubs and paths towards the secret garden. “It is all different already,” she said. “The grass is greener and things are sticking up everywhere and things are uncurling and green buds of leaves are showing. This afternoon I am sure Dickon will come.” The long warm rain had done strange things to the herbaceous beds which bordered the walk by the lower wall. There were things sprouting and pushing out from the roots of clumps of plants and there were actually here and there glimpses of royal purple and yellow unfurling among the stems of crocuses. Six months before Mistress Mary would not have seen how the world was waking up, but now she missed nothing. When she had reached the place where the moor hid itself under the ivy, she was startled by a curious loud sound. It was the caw—caw of a crow and it came from the top of the wall, and when she looked up, there sat a big glossy-plumaged blue-black bird, looking down at her very wisely indeed. She had never seen a crow so close before and he made her a little nervous, but the next moment he spread his wings and flapped away across the garden. She hoped he was not going to stay inside and she pushed the door open wondering if he would. When she got fairly into the garden she saw that he probably did intend to stay because he had alighted on a dwarf apple-tree and under the apple-tree was lying a little reddish animal with a Bushy tail, and both of them were watching the stooping body and rust-red head of Dickon, who was kneeling on the grass working hard. Mary flew across
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—15
the grass to him. “Oh, Dickon! Dickon!” she cried out. “How could you get here so early! How could you! The sun has only just got up!” He got up himself, laughing and glowing, and tousled; his eyes like a bit of the sky. “Eh!” he said. “I was up long before him. How could I have stayed abed! Th’ world’s all fair begun again this mornin’, it has. An’ it’s workin’ an’ hummin’ an’ scratchin’ an’ pipin’ an’ nestbuildin’ an’ breathin’ out scents, till you’ve got to be out on it ‘stead o’ lyin’ on your back. When th’ sun did jump up, th’ moor went mad for joy, an’ I was in the midst of th’ heather, an’ I run like mad myself, shoutin’ an’ singin’. An’ I come straight here. I couldn’t have stayed away. Why, th’ garden was lyin’ here waitin’!” Mary put her hands on her chest, panting, as if she had been running herself. “Oh, Dickon! Dickon!” she said. “I’m so happy I can scarcely breathe!” Seeing him talking to a stranger, the little bushy-tailed animal rose from its place under the tree and came to him, and the rook, cawing once, flew down from its branch and settled quietly on his shoulder. “This is th’ little fox cub,” he said, rubbing the little reddish animal’s head. “It’s named Captain. An’ this here’s Soot. Soot he flew across th’ moor with me an’ Captain he run same as if th’ hounds had been after him. They both felt same as I did.” Neither of the creatures looked as if he were the least afraid of Mary. When Dickon began to walk about, Soot stayed on his shoulder and Captain trotted quietly close to his side. “See here!” said Dickon. “See how these has pushed up, an’ these an’ these! An’ Eh! Look at these here!” He threw himself upon his knees and Mary went down beside him. They had come upon a whole clump of crocuses burst into purple and orange and gold. Mary bent her face down and kissed and kissed them. “You never kiss a person in that way,” she said when she lifted her head. “Flowers are so different.” He looked puzzled but smiled. “Eh!” he said, “I’ve kissed mother many a time that way when I come in from th’ moor after a day’s roamin’ an’ she stood there at th’ door in th’ sun, lookin’ so glad an’ comfortable.” They ran from one part of the garden to another and found so many wonders that they were obliged to remind themselves that they must whisper or speak low. He showed her swelling leafbuds on rose branches which had seemed dead. He showed her ten thousand new green points pushing through the mould. They put their eager young noses close to the earth and sniffed its warmed springtime breathing; they dug and pulled and laughed low with rapture until Mistress Mary’s hair was as tumbled as Dickon’s and her cheeks were almost as poppy red as his. There was every joy on earth in The Secret Garden that morning, and in the midst of them came a delight more delightful than all, because it was more wonderful. Swiftly something flew across the wall and darted through the trees to a close grown corner, a little flare of red-breasted bird with something hanging from its beak. Dickon stood quite still and put his hand on Mary almost as if they had suddenly found themselves laughing in a church.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—16
“We munnot stir,” he whispered in broad Yorkshire. “We munnot scarce breathe. I knowed he was mate-huntin’ when I seed him last. It’s Ben Weatherstaff ’s robin. He’s buildin’ his nest. He’ll stay here if us don’t fight him.” They settled down softly upon the grass and sat there without moving. “Us mustn’t seem as if us was watchin’ him too close,” said Dickon. “He’d be out with us for good if he got th’ notion us was interferin’ now. He’ll be a good bit different till all this is over. He’s settin’ up housekeepin’. He’ll be shyer an’ readier to take things ill. He’s got no time for visitin’ an’ gossipin’. Us must keep still a bit an’ try to look as if us was grass an’ trees an’ bushes. Then when he’s got used to seein’ us I’ll chirp a bit an’ he’ll know us’ll not be in his way.” Mistress Mary was not at all sure that she knew, as Dickon seemed to, how to try to look like grass and trees and bushes. But he had said the queer thing as if it were the simplest and most natural thing in the world, and she felt it must be quite easy to him, and indeed she watched him for a few minutes carefully, wondering if it was possible for him to quietly turn green and put out branches and leaves. But he only sat wonderfully still, and when he spoke dropped his voice to such a softness that it was curious that she could hear him, but she could. “It’s part o’ th’ springtime, this nest-buildin’ is,” he said. “I warrant it’s been goin’ on in th’ same way every year since th’ world was begun. They’ve got their way o’ thinkin’ and doin’ things an’ a body had better not meddle. You can lose a friend in springtime easier than any other season if you’re too curious.” “If we talk about him I can’t help looking at him,” Mary said as softly as possible. “We must talk of something else. There is something I want to tell you.” “He’ll like it better if us talks o’ somethin’ else,” said Dickon. “What is it tha’s got to tell me?” “Well—do you know about Colin?” she whispered. He turned his head to look at her. “What does tha’ know about him?” he asked. “I’ve seen him. I have been to talk to him every day this week. He wants me to come. He says I’m making him forget about being ill and dying,” answered Mary. Dickon looked actually relieved as soon as the surprise died away from his round face. “I am glad o’ that,” he exclaimed. “I’m right down glad. It makes me easier. I knowed I must say nothin’ about him an’ I don’t like havin’ to hide things.” “Don’t you like hiding the garden?” said Mary. “I’ll never tell about it,” he answered. “But I says to mother, `Mother,’ I says, `I got a secret to keep. It’s not a bad ‘un, tha’ knows that. It’s no worse than hidin’ where a bird’s nest is. Tha’ doesn’t mind it, does tha’?’” Mary always wanted to hear about mother. “What did she say?” she asked, not at all afraid to hear. Dickon grinned sweet-temperedly. “It was just like her, what she said,” he answered. “She give my head a bit of a rub an’ laughed an’
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—17
she says, ‘Eh, lad, tha’ can have all th’ secrets tha’ likes. I’ve knowed thee twelve year’.’” “How did you know about Colin?” asked Mary. “Everybody as knowed about Mester Craven knowed there was a little lad as was like to be a cripple, an’ they knowed Mester Craven didn’t like him to be talked about. Folks is sorry for Mester Craven because Mrs. Craven was such a pretty young lady an’ they was so fond of each other. Mrs. Medlock stops in our cottage whenever she goes to Thwaite an’ she doesn’t mind talkin’ to mother before us children, because she knows us has been brought up to be trusty. How did tha’ find out about him? Martha was in fine trouble th’ last time she came home. She said tha’d heard him frettin’ an’ tha’ was askin’ questions an’ she didn’t know what to say.” Mary told him her story about the midnight wuthering of the wind which had wakened her and about the faint far-off sounds of the complaining voice which had led her down the dark corridors with her candle and had ended with her opening of the door of the dimly lighted room with the carven four-posted bed in the corner. When she described the small ivory-white face and the strange black-rimmed eyes Dickon shook his head. “Them’s just like his mother’s eyes, only hers was always laughin’, they say,” he said. “They say as Mr. Craven can’t bear to see him when he’s awake an’ it’s because his eyes is so like his mother’s an’ yet looks so different in his miserable bit of a face.” “Do you think he wants to die?” whispered Mary. “No, but he wishes he’d never been born. Mother she says that’s th’ worst thing on earth for a child. Them as is not wanted scarce ever thrives. Mester Craven he’d buy anythin’ as money could buy for th’ poor lad but he’d like to forget as he’s on earth. For one thing, he’s afraid he’ll look at him some day and find he’s growed hunchback.” “Colin’s so afraid of it himself that he won’t sit up,” said Mary. “He says he’s always thinking that if he should feel a lump coming he should go crazy and scream himself to death.” “Eh! he oughtn’t to lie there thinkin’ things like that,” said Dickon. “No lad could get well as thought them sort o’ things.” The fox was lying on the grass close by him, looking up to ask for a pat now and then, and Dickon bent down and rubbed his neck softly and thought a few minutes in silence. Presently he lifted his head and looked round the garden. “When first we got in here,” he said, “it seemed like everything was gray. Look round now and tell me if tha’ doesn’t see a difference.” Mary looked and caught her breath a little. “Why!” she cried, “the gray wall is changing. It is as if a green mist were creeping over it. It’s almost like a green gauze veil.” “Aye,” said Dickon. “An’ it’ll be greener and greener till th’ gray’s all gone. Can tha’ guess what I was thinkin’?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—18
“I know it was something nice,” said Mary eagerly. “I believe it was something about Colin.” “I was thinkin’ that if he was out here he wouldn’t be watchin’ for lumps to grow on his back; he’d be watchin’ for buds to break on th’ rose-bushes, an’ he’d likely be healthier,” explained Dickon. “I was wonderin’ if us could ever get him in th’ humor to come out here an’ lie under th’ trees in his carriage.” “I’ve been wondering that myself. I’ve thought of it almost every time I’ve talked to him,” said Mary.”I’ve wondered if he could keep a secret and I’ve wondered if we could bring him here without any one seeing us. I thought perhaps you could push his carriage. The doctor said he must have fresh air and if he wants us to take him out no one dare disobey him. He won’t go out for other people and perhaps they will be glad if he will go out with us. He could order the gardeners to keep away so they wouldn’t find out.” Dickon was thinking very hard as he scratched Captain’s back. “It’d be good for him, I’ll warrant,” he said. “Us’d not be thinkin’ he’d better never been born. Us’d be just two children watchin’ a garden grow, an’ he’d be another. Two lads an’ a little lass just lookin’ on at th’ springtime. I warrant it’d be better than doctor’s stuff.” “He’s been lying in his room so long and he’s always been so afraid of his back that it has made him queer,” said Mary. “He knows a good many things out of books but he doesn’t know anything else. He says he has been too ill to notice things and he hates going out of doors and hates gardens and gardeners. But he likes to hear about this garden because it is a secret. I daren’t tell him much but he said he wanted to see it.” “Us’ll have him out here sometime for sure,” said Dickon. “I could push his carriage well enough. Has tha’ noticed how th’ robin an’ his mate has been workin’ while we’ve been sittin’ here? Look at him perched on that branch wonderin’ where it’d be best to put that twig he’s got in his beak.”He made one of his low whistling calls and the robin turned his head and looked at him inquiringly, still holding his twig. Dickon spoke to him as Ben Weatherstaff did, but Dickon’s tone was one of friendly advice. “Wheres’ever tha’ puts it,” he said, “it’ll be all right. Tha’ knew how to build tha’ nest before tha’ came out o’ th’ egg. Get on with thee, lad. Tha’st got no time to lose.” “Oh, I do like to hear you talk to him!” Mary said, laughing delightedly. “Ben Weatherstaff scolds him and makes fun of him, and he hops about and looks as if he understood every word, and I know he likes it. Ben Weatherstaff says he is so conceited he would rather have stones thrown at him than not be noticed.” Dickon laughed too and went on talking. “Tha’ knows us won’t trouble thee,” he said to the robin. “Us is near been’ wild things ourselves. Us is nest-buildin’ too, bless thee. Look out tha’ doesn’t tell on us.” And though the robin did not answer, because his beak was occupied, Mary knew that when he flew away with his twig to his own corner of the garden the darkness of his dew-bright eye meant that he would not tell their secret for the world.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—19
CHAPTER XVI “I WON’T!” SAID MARY They found a great deal to do that morning and Mary was late in returning to the house and was also in such a hurry to get back to her work that she quite forgot Colin until the last moment. “Tell Colin that I can’t come and see him yet,” she said to Martha. “I’m very busy in the garden.” Martha looked rather frightened. “Eh! Miss Mary,” she said, “it may put him all out of humor when I tell him that.” But Mary was not as afraid of him as other people were and she was not a self-sacrificing person. “I can’t stay,” she answered. “Dickon’s waiting for me;” and she ran away. The afternoon was even lovelier and busier than the morning had been. Already nearly all the weeds were cleared out of the garden and most of the roses and trees had been pruned or dug about. Dickon had brought a spade of his own and he had taught Mary to use all her tools, so that by this time it was plain that though the lovely wild place was not likely to become a “gardener’s garden” it would be a wilderness of growing things before the springtime was over. “There’ll be apple blossoms an’ cherry blossoms overhead,” Dickon said, working away with all his might. “An’ there’ll be peach an’ plum trees in bloom against th’ walls, an’ th’ grass’ll be a carpet o’ flowers.” The little fox and the rook were as happy and busy as they were, and the robin and his mate flew backward and forward like tiny streaks of lightning. Sometimes the rook flapped his black wings and soared away over the tree-tops in the park. Each time he came back and perched near Dickon and cawed several times as if he were relating his adventures, and Dickon talked to him just as he had talked to the robin. Once when Dickon was so busy that he did not answer him at first, Soot flew on to his shoulders and gently tweaked his ear with his large beak. When Mary wanted to rest a little Dickon sat down with her under a tree and once he took his pipe out of his pocket and played the soft strange little notes and two squirrels appeared on the wall and looked and listened. “Tha’s a good bit stronger than tha’ was,” Dickon said, looking at her as she was digging. “Tha’s beginning to look different, for sure.” Mary was glowing with exercise and good spirits. “I’m getting fatter and fatter every day,” she said quite exultantly. “Mrs. Medlock will have to get me some bigger dresses. Martha says my hair is growing thicker. It isn’t so flat and stringy.” The sun was beginning to set and sending deep gold-colored rays slanting under the trees when they parted. “It’ll be fine tomorrow,” said Dickon. “I’ll be at work by sunrise.” “So will I,” said Mary. She ran back to the house as quickly as her feet would carry her. She wanted to tell Coln about Dickon’s fox cub and the rook and about what the springtime had been doing. She felt sure he would like to hear. So it was not very pleasant when she opened the door of her room, to see Martha standing waiting for her with a doleful face.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—20
“What is the matter?” she asked. “What did Colin say when you told him I couldn’t come?” “Eh!” said Martha, “I wish tha’d gone. He was nigh goin’ into one o’ his tantrums. here’s been a nice to do all afternoon to keep him quiet. He would watch the clock all th’ time.” Mary’s lips pinched themselves together. She was no more used to considering other people than Colin was and she saw no reason why an ill-tempered boy should interfere with the thing she liked best. She knew nothing about the pitifulness of people who had been ill and nervous and who did not know that they could control their tempers and need not make other people ill and nervous, too. When she had had a headache in India she had done her best to see that everybody else also had a headache or something quite as bad. And she felt she was quite right; but of course now she felt that Colin was quite wrong. He was not on his sofa when she went into his room. He was lying flat on his back in bed and he did not turn his head toward her as she came in. This was a bad beginning and Mary marched up to him with her stiff manner. “Why didn’t you get up?” she said. “I did get up this morning when I thought you were coming,” he answered, without looking at her. “I made them put me back in bed this afternoon. My back ached and my head ached and I was tired. Why didn’t you come?” “I was working in the garden with Dickon,” said Mary. Colin frowned and condescended to look at her. “I won’t let that boy come here if you go and stay with him instead of coming to talk to me,” he said. Mary flew into a fine passion. She could fly into a passion without making a noise. She just grew sour and obstinate and did not care what happened. “If you send Dickon away, I’ll never come into this room again!” she retorted. “You’ll have to if I want you,” said Colin. “I won’t!” said Mary. “I’ll make you,” said Colin. “They shall drag you in.” “Shall they, Mr. Rajah!” said Mary fiercely. “They may drag me in but they can’t make me talk when they get me here. I’ll sit and clench my teeth and never tell you one thing. I won’t even look at you. I’ll stare at the floor!” They were a nice agreeable pair as they glared at each other. If they had been two little street boys they would have sprung at each other and had a rough-and-tumble fight. As it was, they did the next thing to it. “You are a selfish thing!” cried Colin. “What are you?” said Mary. “Selfish people always say that. Any one is selfish who doesn’t do what they want. You’re more selfish than I am. You’re the most selfish boy I ever saw.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—21
“I’m not!” snapped Colin. “I’m not as selfish as your fine Dickon is! He keeps you playing in the dirt when he knows I am all by myself. He’s selfish, if you like!” Mary’s eyes flashed fire. “He’s nicer than any other boy that ever lived!” she said. “He’s—he’s like an angel!” It might sound rather silly to say that but she did not care. “A nice angel!” Colin sneered ferociously. “He’s a common cottage boy off the moor!” “He’s better than a common Rajah!” retorted Mary. “He’s a thousand times better!” Because she was the stronger of the two she was beginning to get the better of him. The truth was that he had never had a fight with any one like himself in his life and, upon the whole, it was rather good for him, though neither he nor Mary knew anything about that. He turned his head on his pillow and shut his eyes and a big tear was squeezed out and ran down his cheek. He was beginning to feel pathetic and sorry for himself—not for any one else. “I’m not as selfish as you, because I’m always ill,and I’m sure there is a lump coming on my back,” he said. “And I am going to die besides.” “You’re not!” contradicted Mary unsympathetically. He opened his eyes quite wide with indignation. He had never heard such a thing said before. He was at once furious and slightly pleased, if a person could be both at one time. “I’m not?” he cried. “I am! You know I am! Everybody says so.” “I don’t believe it!” said Mary sourly. “You just say that to make people sorry. I believe you’re proud of it. I don’t believe it! If you were a nice boy it might be true—but you’re too nasty!” In spite of his invalid back Colin sat up in bed in quite a healthy rage. “Get out of the room!” he shouted and he caught hold of his pillow and threw it at her. He was not strong enough to throw it far and it only fell at her feet, but Mary’s face looked as pinched as a nutcracker. “I’m going,” she said. “And I won’t come back!” She walked to the door and when she reached it she turned round and spoke again. “I was going to tell you all sorts of nice things,” she said. “Dickon brought his fox and his rook and I was going to tell you all about them. Now I won’t tell you a single thing!” She marched out of the door and closed it behind her,and there to her great astonishment she found the trained nurse standing as if she had been listening and, more amazing still—she was laughing. She was a big handsome young woman who ought not to have been a trained nurse at all, as she could not bear invalids and she was always making excuses to leave Colin to Martha or any one else who would take her place. Mary had never liked her, and she simply stood and gazed up at her as she stood giggling into her handkerchief. “What are you laughing at?” she asked her. “At you two young ones,” said the nurse. “It’s the best thing that could happen to the sickly
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—22
pampered thing to have some one to stand up to him that’s as spoiled as himself;” and she laughed into her handkerchief again. “If he’d had a young vixen of a sister to fight with it would have been the saving of him.” “Is he going to die?” “I don’t know and I don’t care,” said the nurse. “Hysterics and temper are half what ails him.” “What are hysterics?” asked Mary. “You’ll find out if you work him into a tantrum after this—but at any rate you’ve given him something to have hysterics about, and I’m glad of it.” Mary went back to her room not feeling at all as she had felt when she had come in from the garden. She was cross and disappointed but not at all sorry for Colin. She had looked forward to telling him a great many things and she had meant to try to make up her mind whether it would be safe to trust him with the great secret. She had been beginning to think it would be, but now she had changed her mind entirely. She would never tell him and he could stay in his room and never get any fresh air and die if he liked! It would serve him right! She felt so sour and unrelenting that for a few minutes she almost forgot about Dickon and the green veil creeping over the world and the soft wind blowing down from the moor. Martha was waiting for her and the trouble in her face had been temporarily replaced by interest and curiosity. There was a wooden box on the table and its cover had been removed and revealed that it was full of neat packages. “Mr. Craven sent it to you,” said Martha. “It looks as if it had picture-books in it.” Mary remembered what he had asked her the day she had gone to his room. “Do you want anything—dolls—toys —books?” She opened the package wondering if he had sent a doll, and also wondering what she should do with it if he had. But he had not sent one. There were several beautiful books such as Colin had, and two of them were about gardens and were full of pictures. There were two or three games and there was a beautiful little writing-case with a gold monogram on it and a gold pen and inkstand. Everything was so nice that her pleasure began to crowd her anger out of her mind. She had not expected him to remember her at all and her hard little heart grew quite warm. “I can write better than I can print,” she said, “and the first thing I shall write with that pen will be a letter to tell him I am much obliged.” If she had been friends with Colin she would have run to show him her presents at once, and they would have looked at the pictures and read some of the gardening books and perhaps tried playing the games, and he would have enjoyed himself so much he would never once have thought he was going to die or have put his hand on his spine to see if there was a lump coming. He had a way of doing that which she could not bear. It gave her an uncomfortable frightened feeling because he always looked so frightened himself. He said that if he felt even quite a little lump some day he should know his hunch had begun to grow. Something he had heard Mrs. Medlock whispering to the nurse had given him the idea and he had thought over it in secret until it was quite firmly fixed in his mind. Mrs. Medlock had said his father’s back had begun to show its
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 24—23
crookedness in that way when he was a child. He had never told any one but Mary that most of his “tantrums” as they called them grew out of his hysterical hidden fear. Mary had been sorry for him when he had told her. “He always began to think about it when he was cross or tired,” she said to herself. “And he has been cross today. Perhaps—perhaps he has been thinking about it all afternoon.” She stood still, looking down at the carpet and thinking. “I said I would never go back again—” she hesitated, knitting her brows—”but perhaps, just perhaps, I will go and see—if he wants me—in the morning. Perhaps he’ll try to throw his pillow at me again, but—I think—I’ll go.”
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 25—1
Lesson 25
Symbolism The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will be able to understand symbolism as it is used in the novel. Key Vocabulary: Footman, Crumpet, Bellowed, Arthritis, Symbolism Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: One of the famous lines from this story is “Where you tend a rose, a thistle cannot grow.” This literally means that where you take care of a rosebush, a weed cannot grow in the same spot. What do you think this means in relation to attitudes? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student should begin by responding to the Engaging Questions in her journal. These questions can lead in to a discussion of symbolism and examples of symbolism that the student may have recognized throughout the novel thus far. Assign Chapters Seventeen and Eighteen of the novel and the corresponding Study Questions. Anwers to Chapters Seventeen and Eighteen Study Questions: In what way(s) are Mary and Colin alike? Why do you think they are good for each other? Mary and Colin are both stubborn, spoiled and tend to throw tantrums. They are good for each other because they can relate to one another. Do you think Mary and Colin are more alike than different? Explain your response. Answers will vary Do you think Colin can keep the secret? Why or why not? Answers will vary What positive changes did you see in Mary? Mary is becoming more willing to help and befriend Colin. What positive changes did you see in Colin? Colin is willing to leave his bed and enjoy the outside and new friends. Lesson Wrap-Up: The student should define this Lesson’s vocabulary terms in her journal.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 25—1
Lesson 25
Symbolism The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
One of the famous lines from this story is “Where you tend a rose, a thistle cannot grow.” This literally means that where you take care of a rosebush, a weed cannot grow in the same spot. What do you think this means in relation to attitudes? What do you see in Mary and Colin’s lives that illustrate the point of this line? The word symbol derives from the Greek verb symballein, to throw together and the noun symbolon, “mark,” or “sign.” The more you read and study literature, the more you will come across words that always function symbolically. The seasons are a perfect example. Winter represents aging, decay, and death; spring is often used to represent energy, birth, and hope; summer is symbolic of childhood, fun, and laughter; autumn stands for maturity, wisdom, and fulfillment. Other typical examples include the scales to symbolize justice; a dove for peace, the rose, purity; the stars and stripes, America; the lion, strength and courage, and so on. As you read chapters Seventeen and Eighteen develop a list of symbols (symbolism) which you encounter throughout the story. Continue to add to this list each day as you work through the remaining chapters of the novel. Be sure to continue defining vocabulary words in your journal. Finally, complete the study questions for the chapters read during this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Research the definitions for this Lesson’s vocabulary terms and write them in your journal.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 25—2
Chapters Seventeen and Eighteen Study Questions In what way(s) are Mary and Colin alike? Why do you think they are good for each other?
Do you think Mary and Colin are more alike than different? Explain your response.
Do you think Colin can keep the secret? Why or why not?
STUDENT MANUAL
What positive changes did you see in Mary?
What positive changes did you see in Colin?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 25—3
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 25—4
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER XVII A TANTRUM She had got up very early in the morning and had worked hard in the garden and she was tired and sleepy, so as soon as Martha had brought her supper and she had eaten it, she was glad to go to bed. As she laid her head on the pillow she murmured to herself: “I’ll go out before breakfast and work with Dickon and then afterward—I believe—I’ll go to see him.” She thought it was the middle of the night when she was awakened by such dreadful sounds that she jumped out of bed in an instant. What was it—what was it? The next minute she felt quite sure she knew. Doors were opened and shut and there were hurrying feet in the corridors and some one was crying and screaming at the same time, screaming and crying in a horrible way. “It’s Colin,” she said. “He’s having one of those tantrums the nurse called hysterics. How awful it sounds.” As she listened to the sobbing screams she did not wonder that people were so frightened that they gave him his own way in everything rather than hear them. She put her hands over her ears and felt sick and shivering. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do,” she kept saying. “I can’t bear it.” Once she wondered if he would stop if she dared go to him and then she remembered how he had driven her out of the room and thought that perhaps the sight of her might make him worse. Even when she pressed her hands more tightly over her ears she could not keep the awful sounds out. She hated them so and was so terrified by them that suddenly they began to make her angry and she felt as if she should like to fly into a tantrum herself and frighten him as he was frightening her. She was not used to any one’s tempers but her own. She took her hands from her ears and sprang up and stamped her foot. “He ought to be stopped! Somebody ought to make him stop! Somebody ought to beat him!” she cried out. Just then she heard feet almost running down the corridor and her door opened and the nurse came in. She was not laughing now by any means. She even looked rather pale. “He’s worked himself into hysterics,” she said in a great hurry. “He’ll do himself harm. No one can do anything with him. You come and try, like a good child. He likes you.” “He turned me out of the room this morning,” said Mary, stamping her foot with excitement. The stamp rather pleased the nurse. The truth was that she had been afraid she might find Mary crying and hiding her head under the bed-clothes. “That’s right,” she said. “You’re in the right humor. You go and scold him. Give him something new to think of. Do go, child, as quick as ever you can.” It was not until afterward that Mary realized that the thing had been funny as well as dreadful—that it was funny that all the grown-up people were so frightened that they came to a little girl just because they guessed she was almost as bad as Colin himself.
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She flew along the corridor and the nearer she got to the screams the higher her temper mounted. She felt quite wicked by the time she reached the door. She slapped it open with her hand and ran across the room to the four-posted bed. “You stop!” she almost shouted. “You stop! I hate you! Everybody hates you! I wish everybody would run out of the house and let you scream yourself to death! You will scream yourself to death in a minute, and I wish you would!” A nice sympathetic child could neither have thought nor said such things, but it just happened that the shock of hearing them was the best possible thing for this hysterical boy whom no one had ever dared to restrain or contradict. He had been lying on his face beating his pillow with his hands and he actually almost jumped around, he turned so quickly at the sound of the furious little voice. His face looked dreadful, white and red and swollen, and he was gasping and choking; but savage little Mary did not care an atom. “If you scream another scream,” she said, “I’ll scream too —and I can scream louder than you can and I’ll frighten you, I’ll frighten you!” He actually had stopped screaming because she had startled him so. The scream which had been coming almost choked him. The tears were streaming down his face and he shook all over. “I can’t stop!” he gasped and sobbed. “I can’t—I can’t!” “You can!” shouted Mary. “Half that ails you is hysterics and temper—just hysterics—hysterics— hysterics!” and she stamped each time she said it. “I felt the lump—I felt it,” choked out Colin. “I knew I should. I shall have a hunch on my back and then I shall die,” and he began to writhe again and turned on his face and sobbed and wailed but he didn’t scream. “You didn’t feel a lump!” contradicted Mary fiercely. “If you did it was only a hysterical lump. Hysterics makes lumps. There’s nothing the matter with your horrid back—nothing but hysterics! Turn over and let me look at it!” She liked the word “hysterics” and felt somehow as if it had an effect on him. He was probably like herself and had never heard it before. “Nurse,” she commanded, “come here and show me his back this minute!” The nurse, Mrs. Medlock and Martha had been standing huddled together near the door staring at her, their mouths half open. All three had gasped with fright more than once. The nurse came forward as if she were half afraid. Colin was heaving with great breathless sobs. “Perhaps he—he won’t let me,” she hesitated in a low voice. Colin heard her, however, and he gasped out between two sobs: “Sh-show her! She-she’ll see then!” It was a poor thin back to look at when it was bared. Every rib could be counted and every joint of the spine, though Mistress Mary did not count them as she bent over and examined them with a solemn savage little face. She looked so sour and oldfashioned that the nurse turned her head aside to hide the twitching of her mouth. There was just a minute’s silence, for even Colin tried to hold his breath while Mary looked up and down his spine,
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and down and up, as intently as if she had been the great doctor from London. “There’s not a single lump there!” she said at last. “There’s not a lump as big as a pin—except backbone lumps, and you can only feel them because you’re thin. I’ve got backbone lumps myself, and they used to stick out as much as yours do, until I began to get fatter, and I am not fat enough yet to hide them. There’s not a lump as big as a pin! If you ever say there is again, I shall laugh!” No one but Colin himself knew what effect those crossly spoken childish words had on him. If he had ever had any one to talk to about his secret terrors—if he had ever dared to let himself ask questions—if he had had childish companions and had not lain on his back in the huge closed house, breathing an atmosphere heavy with the fears of people who were most of them ignorant and tired of him, he would have found out that most of his fright and illness was created by himself. But he had lain and thought of himself and his aches and weariness for hours and days and months and years. And now that an angry unsympathetic little girl insisted obstinately that he was not as ill as he thought he was he actually felt as if she might be speaking the truth. “I didn’t know,” ventured the nurse, “that he thought he had a lump on his spine. His back is weak because he won’t try to sit up. I could have told him there was no lump there.” Colin gulped and turned his face a little to look at her. “C-could you?” he said pathetically. “Yes, sir.” “There!” said Mary, and she gulped too. Colin turned on his face again and but for his longdrawn broken breaths, which were the dying down of his storm of sobbing, he lay still for a minute, though great tears streamed down his face and wet the pillow. Actually the tears meant that a curious great relief had come to him. Presently he turned and looked at the nurse again and strangely enough he was not like a Rajah at all as he spoke to her. “Do you think—I could—live to grow up?” he said. The nurse was neither clever nor softhearted but she could repeat some of the London doctor’s words. “You probably will if you will do what you are told to do and not give way to your temper, and stay out a great deal in the fresh air.” Colin’s tantrum had passed and he was weak and worn out with crying and this perhaps made him feel gentle. He put out his hand a little toward Mary, and I am glad to say that, her own tantum having passed, she was softened too and met him half-way with her hand, so that it was a sort of making up. “I’ll—I’ll go out with you, Mary,” he said. “I shan’t hate fresh air if we can find—” he remembered just in time to stop himself from saying “if we can find The Secret Garden” and he ended, “I shall like to go out with you if Dickon will come and push my chair. I do so want to see Dickon and the fox and the crow.” The nurse remade the tumbled bed and shook and straightened the pillows. Then she made Colin a cup of beef tea and gave a cup to Mary, who really was very glad to get it after her excitement.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 25—7
Mrs. Medlock and Martha gladly slipped away, and after everything was neat and calm and in order the nurse looked as if she would very gladly slip away also. She was a healthy young woman who resented being robbed of her sleep and she yawned quite openly was she looked at Mary, who had pushed her big footstool close to the four-posted bed and was holding Colin’s hand. “You must go back and get your sleep out,” she said. “He’ll drop off after a while—if he’s not too upset. Then I’ll lie down myself in the next room.” “Would you like me to sing you that song I learned from my Ayah?” Mary whispered to Colin. His hand pulled hers gently and he turned his tired eyes on her appealingly. “Oh, yes!” he answered. “It’s such a soft song. I shall go to sleep in a minute.” “I will put him to sleep,” Mary said to the yawning nurse. “You can go if you like.” “Well,” said the nurse, with an attempt at reluctance. “If he doesn’t go to sleep in half an hour you must call me.” “Very well,” answered Mary. The nurse was out of the room in a minute and as soon as she was gone Colin pulled Mary’s hand again. “I almost told,” he said; “but I stopped myself in time. I won’t talk and I’ll go to sleep, but you said you had a whole lot of nice things to tell me. Have you—do you think you have found out anything at all about the way into The Secret Garden?” Mary looked at his poor little tired face and swollen eyes and her heart relented. “Ye-es,” she answered, “I think I have. And if you will go to sleep I will tell you tomorrow.” His hand quite trembled. “Oh, Mary!” he said. “Oh, Mary! If I could get into it I think I should live to grow up! Do you suppose that instead of singing the Ayah song—you could just tell me softly as you did that first day what you imagine it looks like inside? I am sure it will make me go to sleep.” “Yes,” answered Mary. “Shut your eyes.” He closed his eyes and lay quite still and she held his hand and began to speak very slowly and in a very low voice. “I think it has been left alone so long—that it has grown all into a lovely tangle. I think the roses have climbed and climbed and climbed until they hang from the branches and walls and creep over the ground—almost like a strange gray mist. Some of them have died but many—are alive and when the summer comes there will be curtains and fountains of roses. I think the ground is full of daffodils and snowdrops and lilies and iris working their way out of the dark. Now the spring has begun—perhaps—perhaps—” The soft drone of her voice was making him stiller and stiller and she saw it and went on. “Perhaps they are coming up through the grass—perhaps there are clusters of purple crocuses and gold ones—even now. Perhaps the leaves are beginning to break out and uncurl—and
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perhaps—the gray is changing and a green gauze veil is creeping—and creeping over—everything. And the birds are coming to look at it—because it is—so safe and still. And perhaps—perhaps— perhaps—” very softly and slowly indeed, “the robin has found a mate—and is building a nest.” And Colin was asleep.
CHAPTER XVIII “THA’ MUNNOT WASTE NO TIME” Of course Mary did not waken early the next morning. She slept late because she was tired, and when Martha brought her breakfast she told her that though. Colin was quite quiet he was ill and feverish as he always was after he had worn himself out with a fit of crying. Mary ate her breakfast slowly as she listened. “He says he wishes tha’ would please go and see him as soon as tha’ can,” Martha said. “It’s queer what a fancy he’s took to thee. Tha’ did give it him last night for sure—didn’t tha? Nobody else would have dared to do it. Eh! poor lad! He’s been spoiled till salt won’t save him. Mother says as th’ two worst things as ca n happen to a child is never to have his own way—or always to have it. She doesn’t know which is th’ worst. Tha’ was in a fine temper tha’self, too. But he says to me when I went into his room, `Please ask Miss Mary if she’ll please come an, talk to me?’ Think o’ him saying please! Will you go, Miss?” “I’ll run and see Dickon first,” said Mary. “No, I’ll go and see Colin first and tell him—I know what I’ll tell him,” with a sudden inspiration. She had her hat on when she appeared in Colin’s room and for a second he looked disappointed. He was in bed. His face was pitifully white and there were dark circles round his eyes. “I’m glad you came,” he said. “My head aches and I ache all over because I’m so tired. Are you going somewhere?” Mary went and leaned against his bed. “I won’t be long,” she said. “I’m going to Dickon, but I’ll come back. Colin, it’s—it’s something about the garden.” His whole face brightened and a little color came into it. “Oh! is it?” he cried out. “I dreamed about it all night. I heard you say something bout gray changing into green, and I dreamed I was standing in a place all filled with trembling little green leaves—and there were birds on nests everywhere and they looked so soft and still. I’ll lie and think about it until you come back.” In five minutes Mary was with Dickon in their garden. The fox and the crow were with him again and this time he had brought two tame squirrels. “I came over on the pony this mornin’,” he said. “Eh! he is a good little chap—Jump is! I brought these two in my pockets. This here one he’s called Nut an’ this here other one’s called Shell.” When he said “Nut” one squirrel leaped on to his right shoulder and when he said “Shell” the other one leaped on to his left shoulder. When they sat down on the grass with Captain curled at their feet, Soot solemnly listening on a tree and Nut and Shell nosing about close to them, it seemed to Mary that it would be scarcely bearable to leave such delightfulness, but when she began to tell her story somehow the look in
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Dickon’s funny face gradually changed her mind. She could see he felt sorrier for Colin than she did. He looked up at the sky and all about him. “Just listen to them birds—th’ world seems full of ‘em—all whistlin’ an’ pipin’,” he said. “Look at ‘em dartin’ about, an’ hearken at ‘em callin’ to each other. Come springtime seems like as if all th’ world’s callin’. The leaves is uncurlin’ so you can see ‘em—an’, my word, th’ nice smells there is about!” sniffing with his happy turned-up nose. “An’ that poor lad lyin’ shut up an’ seein’ so little that he gets to thinkin’ o’ things as sets him screamin’. Eh! my! we mun get him out here—we mun get him watchin’ an listenin’ an’ sniffin’ up th’ air an’ get him just soaked through wi’ sunshine. An’ we munn’t lose no time about it.” When he was very much interested he often spoke quitebroad Yorkshire though at other times he tried to modify his dialect so that Mary could better understand. But she loved his broad Yorkshire and had in fact been trying to learn to speak it herself. So she spoke a little now. “Aye, that we mun,” she said (which meant “Yes, indeed, we must”). “I’ll tell thee what us’ll do first,” she proceeded, and Dickon grinned, because when the little wench tried to twist her tongue into speaking Yorkshire it amused him very much. “He’s took a graidely fancy to thee. He wants to see thee and he wants to see Soot an’ Captain. When I go back to the house to talk to him I’ll ax him if tha’ canna’ come an’ see him tomorrow mornin’—an’ bring tha’ creatures wi’ thee—an’ then—in a bit, when there’s more leaves out, an’ happen a bud or two, we’ll get him to come out an’ tha’ shall push him in his chair an’ we’ll bring him here an’ show him everything.” When she stopped she was quite proud of herself. She had never made a long speech in Yorkshire before and she had remembered very well. “Tha’ mun talk a bit o’ Yorkshire like that to Mester Colin,” Dickon chuckled. “Tha’ll make him laugh an’ there’s nowt as good for ill folk as laughin’ is. Mother says she believes as half a hour’s good laugh every mornin’ ‘ud cure a chap as was makin’ ready for typhus fever.” “I’m going to talk Yorkshire to him this very day,”said Mary, chuckling herself. The garden had reached the time when every day and every night it seemed as if magicians were passing through it drawing loveliness out of the earth and the boughs with wands. It was hard to go away and leave it all, particularly as Nut had actually crept on to her dress and Shell had scrambled down the trunk of the apple-tree they sat under and stayed there looking at her with inquiring eyes. But she went back to the house and when she sat down close o Colin’s bed he began to sniff as Dickon did though not in such an experienced way. “You smell like flowers and—and fresh things,” he cried out quite joyously. “What is it you smell of? It’s cool and warm and sweet all at the same time.” “It’s th’ wind from th’ moor,” said Mary. “It comes o’ sittin’ on th’ grass under a tree wi’ Dickon an’ wi’ Captain an’ Soot an’ Nut an’ Shell. It’s th’ springtime an’ out o’ doors an’ sunshine as smells so graidely.” She said it as broadly as she could, and you do not know how broadly Yorkshire sounds until you have heard some one speak it. Colin began to laugh. “What are you doing?” he said. “I never
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 25—10
heard you talk like that before. How funny it sounds.” “I’m givin’ thee a bit o’ Yorkshire,” answered Mary triumphantly. “I canna’ talk as graidely as Dickon an’ Martha can but tha’ sees I can shape a bit. Doesn’t tha’ understand a bit o’ Yorkshire when tha’ hears it? An’ tha’ a Yorkshire lad thysel’ bred an’ born! Eh! I wonder tha’rt not ashamed o’ thy face.” And then she began to laugh too and they both laughed until they could not stop themselves and they laughed until the room echoed and Mrs. Medlock opening the door to come in drew back into the corridor and stood listening amazed. “Well, upon my word!” she said, speaking rather broad Yorkshire herself because there was no one to hear her and she was so astonished. “Whoever heard th’ like! Whoever on earth would ha’ thought it!” There was so much to talk about. It seemed as if Colin could never hear enough of Dickon and Captain and Soot and Nut and Shell and the pony whose name was Jump. Mary had run round into the wood with Dickon to see Jump. He was a tiny little shaggy moor pony with thick locks hanging over his eyes and with a pretty face and a nuzzling velvet nose. He was rather thin with living on moor grass but he was as tough and wiry as if the muscle in his little legs had been made of steel springs. He had lifted his head and whinnied softly the moment he saw Dickon and he had trotted up to him and put his head across his shoulder and then Dickon had talked into his ear and Jump had talked back in odd little whinnies and puffs and snorts. Dickon had made him give Mary his small front hoof and kiss her on her cheek with his velvet muzzle. “Does he really understand everything Dickon says?” Colin asked. “It seems as if he does,” answered Mary. “Dickon says anything will understand if you’re friends with it for sure, but you have to be friends for sure.”Colin lay quiet a little while and his strange gray eyes seemed to be staring at the wall, but Mary saw he was thinking. “I wish I was friends with things,” he said at last, “but I’m not. I never had anything to be friends with, and I can’t bear people.” “Can’t you bear me?” asked Mary. “Yes, I can,” he answered. “It’s funny but I even like you.” “Ben Weatherstaff said I was like him,” said Mary. “He said he’d warrant we’d both got the same nasty tempers. I think you are like him too. We are all three alike—you and I and Ben Weatherstaff. He said we were neither of us much to look at and we were as sour as we looked. But I don’t feel as sour as I used to before I knew the robin and Dickon.” “Did you feel as if you hated people?” “Yes,” answered Mary without any affectation. “I should have detested you if I had seen you before I saw the robin and Dickon.”
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Colin put out his thin hand and touched her. “Mary,” he said, “I wish I hadn’t said what I did about sending Dickon away. I hated you when you said he was like an angel and I laughed at you but—but perhaps he is.” “Well, it was rather funny to say it,” she admitted frankly, “because his nose does turn up and he has a big mouth and his clothes have patches all over them and he talks broad Yorkshire, but—but if an angel did come to Yorkshire and live on the moor—if there was a Yorkshire angel—I believe he’d understand the green things and know how to make them grow and he would know how to talk to the wild creatures as Dickon does and they’d know he was friends for sure.” “I shouldn’t mind Dickon looking at me,” said Colin; “I want to see him.” “I’m glad you said that,” answered Mary, “because—because—” Quite suddenly it came into her mind that this was the minute to tell him. Colin knew something new was coming. “Because what?” he cried eagerly. Mary was so anxious that she got up from her stool and came to him and caught hold of both his hands. “Can I trust you? I trusted Dickon because birds trusted him. Can I trust you—for sure—for sure?” she implored. Her face was so solemn that he almost whispered his answer. “Yes—yes!” “Well, Dickon will come to see you tomorrow morning, and he’ll bring his creatures with him.” “Oh! Oh!” Colin cried out in delight. “But that’s not all,” Mary went on, almost pale with solemn excitement. “The rest is better. There is a door into the garden. I found it. It is under the ivy on the wall.” If he had been a strong healthy boy Colin would probably have shouted “Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!” but he was weak and rather hysterical; his eyes grew bigger and bigger and he gasped for breath. “Oh! Mary!” he cried out with a half sob. “Shall I see it? Shall I get into it? Shall I live to get into it?” and he clutched her hands and dragged her toward him. “Of course you’ll see it!” snapped Mary indignantly. “Of course you’ll live to get into it! Don’t be silly!” And she was so un-hysterical and natural and childish that she brought him to his senses and he began to laugh at himself and a few minutes afterward she was sitting on her stool again telling him not what she imagined The Secret Garden to be like but what it really was, and Colin’s aches and tiredness were forgotten and he was listening enraptured. “It is just what you thought it would be,” he said at last. “It sounds just as if you had really seen it. You know I said that when you told me first.” Mary hesitated about two minutes and then boldly spoke the truth. “I had seen it—and I had been in,” she said. “I found the key and got in weeks ago. But I daren’t tell you—I daren’t because I was so afraid I couldn’t trust you—for sure!”
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—1
Lesson 26
More Figurative Language The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will be introduced to more types of figurative language as it is used in fiction. Key Vocabulary: Dreary, Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, Hyperbole, Repetition Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: What symbols/symbolism would you use to describe yourself? Why would this be a good visual representation? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Ask the student to write about his own personality and to come up with a symbol that represents his own character. Have the student explain this choice in at least five complete sentences. In this Lesson, the student will be introduced to Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, Hyperbole, Repetition which are more types of figurative language, as it is used in fiction. The student should complete the Literary Devices Activity included in this Lesson as homework. Assign Chapters Nineteen–Twenty-One of The Secret Garden and the corresponding Study Questions. Answers to Chapters 19–21 Study Questions: Although Colin can’t go out for a week after the decision to go out is made, what plans occupy him during this time? Did you ever spend time planning something special? Tell about it. Colin busies himself with careful and meticulous planning. He is visited by Mary and Dickson who tell him stories of the moor. Describe the scene that Mr. Roach, the head gardener, sees when Colin sends for him? Mr. Roach first sees a black crow fly up. Colin was sitting in an armchair while Dickson was feeding a lamb from a bottle. A squirrel was perched on Dickon’s back attentively nibbling a nut. Mary was sitting on a big footstool looking on. How are Mary and Dickon’s effects on Colin described as? Magical
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—2
What does Colin ask Mr. Roach to do? He asks him to keep everyone away from the garden because he wants to go out that afternoon. How does Mary influence Colin? She shows him that the whole world does not revolve around him. What does Colin tell Mary and Dickon he will do? He will come out everyday into the garden with them, and when he is strong enough, he will help take care of the garden. Answers will vary for the Literary Devices Activity. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: The student should complete the Literary Devices Activity included in this Lesson as homework. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student to define this Lesson’s vocabulary terms in his journal.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—1
Lesson 26
More Figurative Language The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
What symbols/symbolism would you use to describe yourself? Why would this be a good visual representation? Continue The Secret Garden by reading Chapters Nineteen-Twenty-One and answering the corresponding Study Questions. Here are more types of figurative language as it is used in fiction. Study these types of figurative language. You will get an opportunity to use them later in the Lesson. Alliteration—This occurs when the initial consonant sound in two ore more words is repeated. EX: Tongue twisters (the consonant sound of “t” is repeated) EX. A big black bear (the consonant sound of “b” is repeated) EX. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers (the consonant sound of “p” is repeated) Onomatopoeia—This occurs when a natural sound is produced by saying the word. EX. “Buzz” EX. “Hiss” EX. “Pop” Hyperbole—This occurs when there is an exaggeration used for emphasis. EX. I died laughing. (This person really didn’t die…it is an exaggeration of how hard he or she laughed). EX. I slept all year. (This person really didn’t sleep for a year, just a long time). EX. I told you that a million times. (This person probably didn’t say something a million times). Repetition—This occurs when the same word or phrase is used more than once for emphasis. You will practice what you have learned with the activity below, which is to be completed for homework.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—2
Literary Devices Activity Repetition Find 3 examples from the book where Burnett uses repetition.
Onomatopoeia Find words that are actual examples of onomatopoeia.
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Alliteration Finish the following sentences with alliterative words. Dangerous dinosaurs
Studious students
Shiny stars
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Crying cats
Falling footsteps
Hyperbole Finish these hyperboles. Then choose one to illustrate. My dog is so ugly
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—4
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The town I grew up in was so isolated
My aunt is so thin
I was so hungry that I ate a
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—5
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—6
Chapters 19–21 Study Questions Although Colin can’t go out for a week after the decision to go out is made, what plans occupy him during this time? Did you ever spend time planning something special? Tell about it.
Describe the scene that Mr. Roach, the head gardener, sees when Colin sends for him?
How are Mary and Dickon’s effects on Colin described as?
STUDENT MANUAL
What does Colin ask Mr. Roach to do?
How does Mary influence Colin?
What does Colin tell Mary and Dickon he will do?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—7
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—8
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER XIX “IT HAS COME!” Of course Dr. Craven had been sent for the morning after Colin had had his tantrum. He was always sent for at once when such a thing occurred and he always found, when he arrived, a white shaken boy lying on his bed, sulky and still so hysterical that he was ready to break into fresh sobbing at the least word. In fact, Dr. Craven dreaded and detested the difficulties of these visits. On this occasion he was away from Misselthwaite Manor until afternoon. “How is he?” he asked Mrs. Medlock rather irritably when he arrived. “He will break a bloodvessel in one of those fits some day. The boy is half insane with hysteria and self-indulgence.” “Well, sir,” answered Mrs. Medlock, “you’ll scarcely believe your eyes when you see him. That plain sour-faced child that’s almost as bad as himself has just bewitched him. How she’s done it there’s no telling. The Lord knows she’s nothing to look at and you scarcely ever hear her speak, but she did what none of us dare do. She just flew at him like a little cat last night, and stamped her feet and ordered him to stop screaming, and somehow she startled him so that he actually did stop, and this afternoon—well just come up and see, sir. It’s past crediting.” The scene which Dr. Craven beheld when he entered his patient’s room was indeed rather astonishing to him. As Mrs. Medlock opened the door he heard laughing and chattering. Colin was on his sofa in his dressing-gown and he was sitting up quite straight looking at a picture in one of the garden books and talking to the plain child who at that moment could scarcely be called plain at all because her face was so glowing with enjoyment. “Those long spires of blue ones—we’ll have a lot of those,” Colin was announcing. “They’re called Del-phin-iums.” “Dickon says they’re larkspurs made big and grand,” cried Mistress Mary. “There are clumps there already.” Then they saw Dr. Craven and stopped. Mary became quite still and Colin looked fretful. “I am sorry to hear you were ill last night, my boy,” Dr. Craven said a trifle nervously. He was rather a nervous man. “I’m better now—much better,” Colin answered, rather like a Rajah. “I’m going out in my chair in a day or two if it is fine. I want some fresh air.” Dr. Craven sat down by him and felt his pulse and looked at him curiously. “It must be a very fine day,” he said, “and you must be very careful not to tire yourself.” “Fresh air won’t tire me,” said the young Rajah. As there had been occasions when this same young gentleman had shrieked aloud with rage and had insisted that fresh air would give him cold and kill him, it is not to be wondered at that his doctor felt somewhat startled.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—9
“I thought you did not like fresh air,” he said. “I don’t when I am by myself,” replied the Rajah; “but my cousin is going out with me.” “And the nurse, of course?” suggested Dr. Craven. “No, I will not have the nurse,” so magnificently that Mary could not help remembering how the young native Prince had looked with his diamonds and emeralds and pearls stuck all over him and the great rubies on the small dark hand he had waved to command his servants to approach with salaams and receive his orders. “My cousin knows how to take care of me. I am always better when she is with me. She made me better last night. A very strong boy I know will push my carriage.” Dr. Craven felt rather alarmed. If this tiresome hysterical boy should chance to get well he himself would lose all chance of inheriting Misselthwaite; but he was not an unscrupulous man, though he was a weak one, and he did not intend to let him run into actual danger. “He must be a strong boy and a steady boy,” he said. “And I must know something about him. Who is he? What is his name?” “It’s Dickon,” Mary spoke up suddenly. She felt somehow that everybody who knew the moor must know Dickon. And she was right, too. She saw that in a moment Dr. Craven’s serious face relaxed into a relieved smile. “Oh, Dickon,” he said. “If it is Dickon you will be safe enough. He’s as strong as a moor pony, is Dickon.” “And he’s trusty,” said Mary. “He’s th’ trustiest lad i’ Yorkshire.” She had been talking Yorkshire to Colin and she forgot herself. “Did Dickon teach you that?” asked Dr. Craven, laughing outright. “I’m learning it as if it was French,” said Mary rather coldly. “It’s like a native dialect in India. Very clever people try to learn them. I like it and so does Colin.” “Well, well,” he said. “If it amuses you perhaps it won’t do you any harm. Did you take your bromide last night, Colin?” “No,” Colin answered. “I wouldn’t take it at first and after Mary made me quiet she talked me to sleep—in a low voice—about the spring creeping into a garden.” “That sounds soothing,” said Dr. Craven, more perplexed than ever and glancing sideways at Mistress Mary sitting on her stool and looking down silently at the carpet. “You are evidently better, but you must remember—”
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—10
“I don’t want to remember,” interrupted the Rajah, appearing again. “When I lie by myself and remember I begin to have pains everywhere and I think of things that make me begin to scream because I hate them so. If there was a doctor anywhere who could make you forget you were ill instead of remembering it I would have him brought here.” And he waved a thin hand which ought really to have been covered with royal signet rings made of rubies. “It is because my cousin makes me forget that she makes me better.” Dr. Craven had never made such a short stay after a “tantrum”; usually he was obliged to remain a very long time and do a great many things. This afternoon he did not give any medicine or leave any new orders and he was spared any disagreeable scenes. When he went downstairs he looked very thoughtful and when he talked to Mrs. Medlock in the library she felt that he was a much puzzled man. “Well, sir,” she ventured, “could you have believed it?” “It is certainly a new state of affairs,” said the doctor. “And there’s no denying it is better than the old one.” “I believe Susan Sowerby’s right—I do that,” said Mrs. Medlock. “I stopped in her cottage on my way to Thwaite yesterday and had a bit of talk with her. And she says to me, ‘Well, Sarah Ann, she mayn’t be a good child, an’ she mayn’t be a pretty one, but she’s a child, an’ children needs children.’ We went to school together, Susan Sowerby and me.” “She’s the best sick nurse I know,” said Dr. Craven. “When I find her in a cottage I know the chances are that I shall save my patient.” Mrs. Medlock smiled. She was fond of Susan Sowerby. “She’s got a way with her, has Susan,” she went on quite volubly. “I’ve been thinking all morning of one thing she said yesterday. She says, `Once when I was givin’ th’ children a bit of a preach after they’d been fightin’ I ses to ‘em all, “When I was at school my jography told as th’ world was shaped like a orange an’ I found out before I was ten that th’ whole orange doesn’t belong to nobody. No one owns more than his bit of a quarter an’ there’s times it seems like there’s not enow quarters to go round. But don’t you—none o’ you—think as you own th’ whole orange or you’ll find out you’re mistaken, an’ you won’t find it out without hard knocks.” `What children learns from children,’ she says, ‘is that there’s no sense in grabbin’ at th’ whole orange—peel an’ all. If you do you’ll likely not get even th’ pips, an’ them’s too bitter to eat.’” “She’s a shrewd woman,” said Dr. Craven, putting on his coat. “Well, she’s got a way of saying things,” ended Mrs. Medlock, much pleased. “Sometimes I’ve said to her, ‘Eh! Susan, if you was a different woman an’ didn’t talk such broad Yorkshire I’ve seen the times when I should have said you was clever.’” That night Colin slept without once awakening and when he opened his eyes in the morning he lay still and smiled without knowing it—smiled because he felt so curiously comfortable. It was actually nice to be awake, and he turned over and stretched his limbs luxuriously. He felt as if
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—11
tight strings which had held him had loosened themselves and let him go. He did not know that Dr. Craven would have said that his nerves had relaxed and rested themselves. Instead of lying and staring at the wall and wishing he had not awakened, his mind was full of the plans he and Mary had made yesterday, of pictures of the garden and of Dickon and his wild creatures. It was so nice to have things to think about. And he had not been awake more than ten minutes when he heard feet running along the corridor and Mary was at the door. The next minute she was in the room and had run across to his bed, bringing with her a waft of fresh air full of the scent of the morning. “You’ve been out! You’ve been out! There’s that nice smell of leaves!” he cried. She had been running and her hair was loose and blown and she was bright with the air and pink-cheeked, though he could not see it. “It’s so beautiful!” she said, a little breathless with her speed. “You never saw anything so beautiful! It has come! I thought it had come that other morning, but it was only coming. It is here now! It has come, the Spring! Dickon says so!” “Has it?” cried Colin, and though he really knew nothing about it he felt his heart beat. He actually sat up in bed. “Open the window!” he added, laughing half with joyful excitement and half at his own fancy. “Perhaps we may hear golden trumpets!” And though he laughed, Mary was at the window in a moment and in a moment more it was opened wide and freshness and softness and scents and birds’ songs were pouring through. “That’s fresh air,” she said. “Lie on your back and draw in long breaths of it. That’s what Dickon does when he’s lying on the moor. He says he feels it in his veins and it makes him strong and he feels as if he could live forever and ever. Breathe it and breathe it.” She was only repeating what Dickon had told her, but she caught Colin’s fancy. “`Forever and ever’! Does it make him feel like that?” he said, and he did as she told him, drawing in long deep breaths over and over again until he felt that something quite new and delightful was happening to him. Mary was at his bedside again. “Things are crowding up out of the earth,” she ran on in a hurry. “And there are flowers uncurling and buds on everything and the green veil has covered nearly all the gray and the birds are in such a hurry about their nests for fear they may be too late that some of them are even fighting for places in The Secret Garden. And the rose-bushes look as wick as wick can be, and there are primroses in the lanes and woods, and the seeds we planted are up, and Dickon has brought the fox and the crow and the squirrels and a new-born lamb.” And then she paused for breath. The new-born lamb Dickon had found three days before lying by its dead mother among the gorse bushes on the moor. It was not the first motherless lamb he had found and he knew what to do with it. He had taken it to the cottage wrapped in his jacket and he had let it lie near the fire and had fed it with warm milk. It was a soft thing with a darling silly baby face and legs rather long for its body. Dickon had carried it over the moor in his arms and its feeding bottle was in his pocket with a squirrel, and when Mary had sat under a tree with its limp warmness huddled on her lap she had felt as if she were too full of strange joy to speak. A lamb—a lamb! A living lamb who lay on your lap like a baby!
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—12
She was describing it with great joy and Colin was listening and drawing in long breaths of air when the nurse entered. She started a little at the sight of the open window. She had sat stifling in the room many a warm day because her patient was sure that open windows gave people cold. “Are you sure you are not chilly, Master Colin?” she inquired. “No,” was the answer. “I am breathing long breaths of fresh air. It makes you strong. I am going to get up to the sofa for breakfast. My cousin will have breakfast with me.” The nurse went away, concealing a smile, to give the order for two breakfasts. She found the servants’ hall a more amusing place than the invalid’s chamber and just now everybody wanted to hear the news from upstairs. There was a great deal of joking about the unpopular young recluse who, as the cook said, “had found his master, and good for him.” The servants’ hall had been very tired of the tantrums, and the butler, who was a man with a family, had more than once expressed his opinion that the invalid would be all the better “for a good hiding.” When Colin was on his sofa and the breakfast for two was put upon the table he made an announcement to the nurse in his most Rajah-like manner. “A boy, and a fox, and a crow, and two squirrels, and a new-born lamb, are coming to see me this morning. I want them brought upstairs as soon as they come,” he said. “You are not to begin playing with the animals in the servants’ hall and keep them there. I want them here. “The nurse gave a slight gasp and tried to conceal it with a cough. “Yes, sir,” she answered. “I’ll tell you what you can do,” added Colin, waving his hand. “You can tell Martha to bring them here. The boy is Martha’s brother. His name is Dickon and he is an animal charmer.” “I hope the animals won’t bite, Master Colin,” said the nurse. “I told you he was a charmer,” said Colin austerely. “Charmers’ animals never bite.” “There are snake-charmers in India,” said Mary, “and they can put their snakes’ heads in their mouths.” “Goodness!” shuddered the nurse. They ate their breakfast with the morning air pouring in upon them. Colin’s breakfast was a very good one and Mary watched him with serious interest. “You will begin to get fatter just as I did,” she said. “I never wanted my breakfast when I was in India and now I always want it.” “I wanted mine this morning,” said Colin. “Perhaps it was the fresh air. When do you think Dickon will come?” He was not long in coming. In about ten minutes Mary held up her hand. “Listen!” she said. “Did you hear a caw?” Colin listened and heard it, the oddest sound in the world to hear inside a house, a hoarse “caw-caw.”
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—13
“Yes,” he answered. “That’s Soot,” said Mary. “Listen again. Do you hear a bleat—a tiny one?” “Oh, yes!” cried Colin, quite flushing. “That’s the new-born lamb,” said Mary. “He’s coming.” Dickon’s moorland boots were thick and clumsy and though he tried to walk quietly they made a clumping sound as he walked through the long corridors. Mary and Colin heard him marching—marching, until he passed through the tapestry door on to the soft carpet of Colin’s own passage. “If you please, sir,” announced Martha, opening the door, “if you please, sir, here’s Dickon an’ his creatures.” Dickon came in smiling his nicest wide smile. The new-born lamb was in his arms and the little red fox trotted by his side. Nut sat on his left shoulder and Soot on his right and Shell’s head and paws peeped out of his coat pocket. Colin slowly sat up and stared and stared—as he had stared when he first saw Mary; but this was a stare of wonder and delight. The truth was that in spite of all he had heard he had not in the least understood what this boy would be like and that his fox and his crow and his squirrels and his lamb were so near to him and his friendliness that they seemed almost to be part of himself. Colin had never talked to a boy in his life and he was so overwhelmed by his own pleasure and curiosity that he did not even think of speaking. But Dickon did not feel the least shy or awkward. He had not felt embarrassed because the crow had not known his language and had only stared and had not spoken to him the first time they met. Creatures were always like that until they found out about you. He walked over to Colin’s sofa and put the new-born lamb quietly on his lap, and immediately the little creature turned to the warm velvet dressing-gown and began to nuzzle and nuzzle into its folds and butt its tight-curled head with soft impatience against his side. Of course no boy could have helped speaking then. “What is it doing?” cried Colin. “What does it want?” “It wants its mother,” said Dickon, smiling more and more. “I brought it to thee a bit hungry because I knowed tha’d like to see it feed.” He knelt down by the sofa and took a feeding-bottle from his pocket. “Come on, little ‘un,” he said, turning the small woolly white head with a gentle brown hand. “This is what tha’s after. Tha’ll get more out o’ this than tha’ will out o’ silk velvet coats. There now,” and he pushed the rubber tip of the bottle into the nuzzling mouth and the lamb began to suck it with ravenous ecstasy. After that there was no wondering what to say. By the time the lamb fell asleep questions poured forth and Dickon answered them all. He told them how he had found the lamb just as the sun was rising three mornings ago. He had been standing on the moor listening to a skylark and watching him swing higher and higher into the sky until he was only a speck in the heights of blue. “I’d almost lost him but for his song an’ I was wonderin’ how a chap could hear it when it seemed as if he’d get out o’ th’ world in a minute—an’ just then I heard somethin’ else far off among
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—14
th’ gorse bushes. It was a weak bleatin’ an’ I knowed it was a new lamb as was hungry an’ I knowed it wouldn’t be hungry if it hadn’t lost its mother somehow, so I set off searchin’. Eh! I did have a look for it. I went in an’ out among th’ gorse bushes an’ round an’ round an’ I always seemed to take th’ wrong turnin’. But at last I seed a bit o’ white by a rock on top o’ th’ moor an’ I climbed up an’ found th’ little ‘un half dead wi’ cold an’ clemmin’.” While he talked, Soot flew solemnly in and out of the open window and cawed remarks about the scenery while Nut and Shell made excursions into the big trees outside and ran up and down trunks and explored branches. Captain curled up near Dickon, who sat on the hearth-rug from preference. They looked at the pictures in the gardening books and Dickon knew all the flowers by their country names and knew exactly which ones were already growing in The Secret Garden. “I couldna’ say that there name,” he said, pointing to one under which was written “Aquilegia,” “but us calls that a columbine, an’ that there one it’s a snapdragon and they both grow wild in hedges, but these is garden ones an’ they’re bigger an’ grander. There’s some big lumps o’ columbine in th’ garden. They’ll look like a bed o’ blue an’ white butterflies flutterin’ when they’re out.” “I’m going to see them,” cried Colin. “I am going to see them!” “Aye, that tha’ mun,” said Mary quite seriously. “An’ tha’ munnot lose no time about it.”
CHAPTER XX “I SHALL LIVE FOREVER—AND EVER—AND EVER!” But they were obliged to wait more than a week because first there came some very windy days and then Colin was threatened with a cold, which two things happening one after the other would no doubt have thrown him into a rage but that there was so much careful and mysterious planning to do and almost every day Dickon came in, if only for a few minutes, to talk about what was happening on the moor and in the lanes and hedges and on the borders of streams. The things he had to tell about otters’ and badgers’ and water-rats’ houses, not to mention birds’ nests and field-mice and their burrows, were enough to make you almost tremble with excitement when you heard all the intimate details from an animal charmer and realized with what thrilling eagerness and anxiety the whole busy underworld was working. “They’re same as us,” said Dickon, “only they have to build their homes every year. An’ it keeps ‘em so busy they fair scuffle to get ‘em done.” The most absorbing thing, however, was the preparations to be made before Colin could be transported with sufficient secrecy to the garden. No one must see the chair-carriage and Dickon and Mary after they turned a certain corner of the shrubbery and entered upon the walk outside the ivied walls. As each day passed, Colin had become more and more fixed in his feeling that the mystery surrounding the garden was one of its greatest charms. Nothing must spoil that. No one must ever suspect that they had a secret. People must think that he was simply going out with Mary
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—15
and Dickon because he liked them and did not object to their looking at him. They had long and quite delightful talks about their route. They would go up this path and down that one and cross the other and go round among the fountain flower-beds as if they were looking at the “bedding-out plants” the head gardener, Mr. Roach, had been having arranged. That would seem such a rational thing to do that no one would think it at all mysterious. They would turn into the shrubbery walks and lose themselves until they came to the long walls. It was almost as serious and elaborately thought out as the plans of march made by great generals in time of war. Rumors of the new and curious things which were occurring in the invalid’s apartments had of course filtered through the servants’ hall into the stable yards and out among the gardeners, but notwithstanding this, Mr. Roach was startled one day when he received orders from Master Colin’s room to the effect that he must report himself in the apartment no outsider had ever seen, as the invalid himself desired to speak to him. “Well, well,” he said to himself as he hurriedly changed his coat, “what’s to do now? His Royal Highness that wasn’t to be looked at calling up a man he’s never set eyes on.” Mr. Roach was not without curiosity. He had never caught even a glimpse of the boy and had heard a dozen exaggerated stories about his uncanny looks and ways and his insane tempers. The thing he had heard oftenest was that he might die at any moment and there had been numerous fanciful descriptions of a humped back and helpless limbs, given by people who had never seen him. “Things are changing in this house, Mr. Roach,” said Mrs. Medlock, as she led him up the back staircase to the corridor on to which opened the hitherto mysterious chamber. “Let’s hope they’re changing for the better, Mrs. Medlock,” he answered. “They couldn’t well change for the worse,” she continued; “and queer as it all is there’s them as finds their duties made a lot easier to stand up under. Don’t you be surprised, Mr. Roach, if you find yourself in the middle of a menagerie and Martha Sowerby’s Dickon more at home than you or me could ever be.” There really was a sort of Magic about Dickon, as Mary always privately believed. When Mr. Roach heard his name he smiled quite leniently. “He’d be at home in Buckingham Palace or at the bottom of a coal mine,” he said. “And yet it’s not impudence,either. He’s just fine, is that lad.” It was perhaps well he had been prepared or he might have been startled. When the bedroom door was opened a large crow, which seemed quite at home perched on he high back of a carven chair, announced the entrance of a visitor by saying “Caw—Caw” quite loudly. In spite of Mrs. Medlock’s warning, Mr. Roach only just escaped being sufficiently undignified to jump backward. The young Rajah was neither in bed nor on his sofa. He was sitting in an armchair and a young lamb was standing by him shaking its tail in feeding-lamb fashion as Dickon knelt giving it milk from its bottle. A squirrel was perched on Dickon’s bent back attentively nibbling a nut. The little girl from India was sitting on a big footstool looking on.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—16
“Here is Mr. Roach, Master Colin,” said Mrs. Medlock. The young Rajah turned and looked his servitor over—at least that was what the head gardener felt happened. “Oh, you are Roach, are you?” he said. “I sent for you to give you some very important orders.” “Very good, sir,” answered Roach, wondering if he was to receive instructions to fell all the oaks in the park or to transform the orchards into water-gardens. “I am going out in my chair this afternoon,” said Colin. “If the fresh air agrees with me I may go out every day. When I go, none of the gardeners are to be anywhere near the Long Walk by the garden walls. No one is to be there. I shall go out about two o’clock and everyone must keep away until I send word that they may go back to their work.” “Very good, sir,” replied Mr. Roach, much relieved to hear that the oaks might remain and that the orchards were safe. “Mary,” said Colin, turning to her, “what is that thing you say in India when you have finished talking and want people to go?” “You say, `You have my permission to go,’” answered Mary. The Rajah waved his hand. “You have my permission to go, Roach,” he said. “But, remember, this is very important.” “Caw—Caw!” remarked the crow hoarsely but not impolitely. “Very good, sir. Thank you, sir,” said Mr. Roach, and Mrs. Medlock took him out of the room. Outside in the corridor, being a rather good-natured man, he smiled until he almost laughed. “My word!” he said, “he’s got a fine lordly way with him, hasn’t he? You’d think he was a whole Royal Family rolled into one—Prince Consort and all.” “Eh!” protested Mrs. Medlock, “we’ve had to let him trample all over every one of us ever since he had feet and he thinks that’s what folks was born for.” “Perhaps he’ll grow out of it, if he lives,” suggested Mr. Roach. “Well, there’s one thing pretty sure,” said Mrs. Medlock. “If he does live and that Indian child stays here I’ll warrant she teaches him that the whole orange does not belong to him, as Susan Sowerby says. And he’ll be likely to find out the size of his own quarter.” Inside the room Colin was leaning back on his cushions. “It’s all safe now,” he said. “And this afternoon I shall see it—this afternoon I shall be in it!” Dickon went back to the garden with his creatures and Mary stayed with Colin. She did not think he looked tired but he was very quiet before their lunch came and he was quiet while they were eating it. She wondered why and asked him about it. “What big eyes you’ve got, Colin,” she said. “When you are thinking they get as big as saucers. What are you thinking about now?” “I can’t help thinking about what it will look like,” he answered.
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“The garden?” asked Mary. “The springtime,” he said. “I was thinking that I’ve really never seen it before. I scarcely ever went out and when I did go I never looked at it. I didn’t even think about it.” “I never saw it in India because there wasn’t any,” said Mary. Shut in and morbid as his life had been, Colin had more imagination than she had and at least he had spent a good deal of time looking at wonderful books and pictures. “That morning when you ran in and said `It’s come! It’s come!, you made me feel quite queer. It sounded as if things were coming with a great procession and big bursts and wafts of music. I’ve a picture like it in one of my books—crowds of lovely people and children with garlands and branches with blossoms on them, everyone laughing and dancing and crowding and playing on pipes. That was why I said, `Perhaps we shall hear golden trumpets’ and told you to throw open the window.” “How funny!” said Mary. “That’s really just what it feels like. And if all the flowers and leaves and green things and birds and wild creatures danced past at once, what a crowd it would be! I’m sure they’d dance and sing and flute and that would be the wafts of music.” They both laughed but it was not because the idea was laughable but because they both so liked it. A little later the nurse made Colin ready. She noticed that instead of lying like a log while his clothes were put on he sat up and made some efforts to help himself, and he talked and laughed with Mary all the time. “This is one of his good days, sir,” she said to Dr. Craven, who dropped in to inspect him. “He’s in such good spirits that it makes him stronger.” “I’ll call in again later in the afternoon, after he has come in,” said Dr. Craven. “I must see how the going out agrees with him. I wish,” in a very low voice, “that he would let you go with him.” “I’d rather give up the case this moment, sir, than even stay here while it’s suggested,” answered the nurse with sudden firmness. “I hadn’t really decided to suggest it,” said the doctor, with his slight nervousness. “We’ll try the experiment. Dickon’s a lad I’d trust with a new-born child.” The strongest footman in the house carried Colin down stairs and put him in his wheeled chair near which Dickon waited outside. After the manservant had arranged his rugs and cushions the Rajah waved his hand to him and to the nurse. “You have my permission to go,” he said, and they both disappeared quickly and it must be confessed giggled when they were safely inside the house. Dickon began to push the wheeled chair slowly and steadily. Mistress Mary walked beside it and Colin leaned back and lifted his face to the sky. The arch of it looked very high and the small snowy clouds seemed like white birds floating on outspread wings below its crystal blueness. The wind swept in soft big breaths down from the moor and was strange with a wild clear scented sweetness. Colin kept lifting his thin chest to draw it in, and his big eyes looked as if it were they which were listening—listening, instead of his ears.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—18
“There are so many sounds of singing and humming and calling out,” he said. “What is that scent the puffs of wind bring?” “It’s gorse on th’ moor that’s openin’ out,” answered Dickon. “Eh! th’ bees are at it wonderful today.” Not a human creature was to be caught sight of in the paths they took. In fact every gardener or gardener’s lad had been witched away. But they wound in and out among the shrubbery and out and round the fountain beds, following their carefully planned route for the mere mysterious pleasure of it. But when at last they turned into the Long Walk by the ivied walls the excited sense of an approaching thrill made them, for some curious reason they could not have explained, begin to speak in whispers. “This is it,” breathed Mary. “This is where I used to walk up and down and wonder and wonder.” “Is it?” cried Colin, and his eyes began to search the ivy with eager curiousness. “But I can see nothing,” he whispered. “There is no door.” “That’s what I thought,” said Mary. Then there was a lovely breathless silence and the chair wheeled on. “That is the garden where Ben Weatherstaff works,” said Mary. “Is it?” said Colin. A few yards more and Mary whispered again. “This is where the robin flew over the wall,” she said. “Is it?” cried Colin. “Oh! I wish e’d come again!” “And that,” said Mary with solemn delight, pointing under a big lilac bush, “is where he perched on the little heap of earth and showed me the key.” Then Colin sat up. “Where? Where? There?” he cried, and his eyes were as big as the wolf ’s in Red Riding-Hood, when Red Riding-Hood felt called upon to remark on them. Dickon stood still and the wheeled chair stopped. “And this,” said Mary, stepping on to the bed close to the ivy, “is where I went to talk to him when he chirped at me from the top of the wall. And this is the ivy the wind blew back,” and she took hold of the hanging green curtain. “Oh! is it—is it!” gasped Colin. “And here is the handle, and here is the door. Dickon push him in—push him in quickly!” And Dickon did it with one strong, steady, splendid push. But Colin had actually dropped back against his cushions, even though he gasped with delight, and he had covered his eyes with his hands and held them there shutting out everything until they were inside and the chair stopped as if by magic and the door was closed. Not till then did he take them away and look round and round and round as Dickon and Mary had done. And over walls and earth and trees and swinging sprays and tendrils the fair green veil of tender little leaves had crept, and in the grass under the trees and the gray urns in the alcoves and here and there everywhere were touches or splashes of gold and purple and white and the trees were showing pink and snow above his head and there were fluttering of wings and faint sweet pipes and humming
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—19
and scents and scents. And the sun fell warm upon his face like a hand with a lovely touch. And in wonder Mary and Dickon stood and stared at him. He looked so strange and different because a pink glow of color had actually crept all over him—ivory face and neck and hands and all. “I shall get well! I shall get well!” he cried out. “Mary! Dickon! I shall get well! And I shall live forever and ever and ever!”
CHAPTER XXI BEN WEATHERSTAFF One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever. One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands alone and throws one’s head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvelous unknown things happening until the East almost makes one cry out and one’s heart stands still at the strange unchanging majesty of the rising of the sun—which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. One knows it then for a moment or so. And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries. Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark blue at night with millions of stars waiting and watching makes one sure; and sometimes a sound of far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in some one’s eyes. And it was like that with Colin when he first saw and heard and felt the Springtime inside the four high walls of a hidden garden. That afternoon the whole world seemed to devote itself to being perfect and radiantly beautiful and kind to one boy. Perhaps out of pure heavenly goodness the spring came and crowned everything it possibly could into that one place. More than once Dickon paused in what he was doing and stood still with a sort of growing wonder in his eyes, shaking his head softly. “Eh! it is graidely,” he said. “I’m twelve goin’ on thirteen an’ there’s a lot o’ afternoons in thirteen years, but seems to me like I never seed one as graidely as this ‘ere.” “Aye, it is a graidely one,” said Mary, and she sighed for mere joy. “I’ll warrant it’s the graidelest one as ever was in this world.” “Does tha’ think,” said Colin with dreamy carefulness, “as happen it was made loike this ‘ere all o’ purpose for me?” “My word!” cried Mary admiringly, “that there is a bit o’ good Yorkshire. Tha’rt shapin’ firstrate—that tha’ art.” And delight reigned. They drew the chair under the plum-tree,which was snowwhite with blossoms and musical with bees. It was like a king’s canopy, a fairy king’s. There were flowering cherry-trees near and apple-trees whose buds were pink and white, and here and there one had burst open wide. Between the blossoming branches of the canopy bits of blue sky looked down like wonderful eyes.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—20
Mary and Dickon worked a little here and there and Colin watched them. They brought him things to look at—buds which were opening, buds which were tight closed, bits of twig whose leaves were just showing green, the feather of a woodpecker which had dropped on the grass, the empty shell of some bird early hatched. Dickon pushed the chair slowly round and round the garden, stopping every other moment to let him look at wonders springing out of the earth or trailing down from trees. It was like being taken in state round the country of a magic king and queen and shown all the mysterious riches it contained. “I wonder if we shall see the robin?” said Colin. “Tha’ll see him often enow after a bit,” answered Dickon. “When th’ eggs hatches out th’ little chap he’ll be kep’ so busy it’ll make his head swim. Tha’ll see him flyin’ backward an’ for’ard carryin’ worms nigh as big as himsel’ an’ that much noise goin’ on in th’ nest when he gets there as fair flusters him so as he scarce knows which big mouth to drop th’ first piece in. An’ gapin’ beaks an’ squawks on every side. Mother says as when she sees th’ work a robin has to keep them gapin’ beaks filled, she feels like she was a lady with nothin’ to do. She says she’s seen th’ little chaps when it seemed like th’ sweat must be droppin’ off ‘em, though folk can’t see it.” This made them giggle so delightedly that they were obliged to cover their mouths with their hands, remembering that they must not be heard. Colin had been instructed as to the law of whispers and low voices several days before. He liked the mysteriousness of it and did his best, but in the midst of excited enjoyment it is rather difficult never to laugh above a whisper. Every moment of the afternoon was full of new things and every hour the sunshine grew more golden. The wheeled chair had been drawn back under the canopy and Dickon had sat down on the grass and had just drawn out his pipe when Colin saw something he had not had time to notice before. “That’s a very old tree over there, isn’t it?” he said. Dickon looked across the grass at the tree and Mary looked and there was a brief moment of stillness. “Yes,” answered Dickon, after it, and his low voice had a very gentle sound. Mary gazed at the tree and thought. “The branches are quite gray and there’s not a single leaf anywhere,” Colin went on. “It’s quite dead, isn’t it?” “Aye,” admitted Dickon. “But them roses as has climbed all over it will near hide every bit o’ th’ dead wood when they’re full o’ leaves an’ flowers. It won’t look dead then. It’ll be th’ prettiest of all.” Mary still gazed at the tree and thought. “It looks as if a big branch had been broken off,” said Colin. “I wonder how it was done.” “It’s been done many a year,” answered Dickon. “Eh!” with a sudden relieved start and laying his hand on Colin. “Look at that robin! There he is! He’s been foragin’ for his mate.”Colin was almost too late but he just caught sight of him, the flash of red-breasted bird with something in his beak. He darted through the greenness and into the close-grown corner and was out of sight.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—21
Colin leaned back on his cushion again, laughing a little. “He’s taking her tea to her. Perhaps it’s five o’clock. I think I’d like some tea myself.” And so they were safe. “It was Magic which sent the robin,” said Mary secretly to Dickon afterward. “I know it was Magic.” For both she and Dickon had been afraid Colin might ask something about the tree whose branch had broken off ten years ago and they had talked it over together and Dickon had stood and rubbed his head in a troubled way. “We mun look as if it wasn’t no different from th’ other trees,” he had said. “We wouldn’t never tell him how it broke, poor lad. If he says anything about it we mun—we mun try to look cheerful.” “Aye, that we mun,” had answered Mary. But she had not felt as if she looked cheerful when she gazed at the tree. She wondered and wondered in those few moments if there was any reality in that other thing Dickon had said. He had gone on rubbing his rust-red hair in a puzzled way, but a nice comforted look had begun to grow in his blue eyes. “Mrs. Craven was a very lovely young lady,” he had gone on rather hesitatingly. “An’ mother she thinks maybe she’s about Misselthwaite many a time lookin’ after Mester Colin, same as all mothers do when they’re took out o’ th’ world. They have to come back, tha’ sees. Happen she’s been in the garden an’ happen it was her set us to work, an’ told us to bring him here.” Mary had thought he meant something about Magic. She was a great believer in Magic. Secretly she quite believed that Dickon worked Magic, of course good Magic, on everything near him and that was why people liked him so much and wild creatures knew he was their friend. She wondered, indeed, if it were not possible that his gift had brought the robin just at the right moment when Colin asked that dangerous question. She felt that his Magic was working all the afternoon and making Colin look like an entirely different boy. It did not seem possible that he could be the crazy creature who had screamed and beaten and bitten his pillow. Even his ivory whiteness seemed to change. The faint glow of color which had shown on his face and neck and hands when he first got inside the garden really never quite died away. He looked as if he were made of flesh instead of ivory or wax. They saw the robin carry food to his mate two or three times, and it was so suggestive of afternoon tea that Colin felt they must have some. “Go and make one of the men servants bring some in a basket to the rhododendron walk,” he said. “And then you and Dickon can bring it here.” It was an agreeable idea, easily carried out, and when the white cloth was spread upon the grass, with hot tea and buttered toast and crumpets, a delightfully hungry meal was eaten, and several birds on domestic errands paused to inquire what was going on and were led into investigating crumbs with great activity. Nut and Shell whisked up trees with pieces of cake and Soot took the entire half of a buttered crumpet into a corner and pecked at and examined and turned it over and made hoarse remarks about it until he decided to swallow it all joyfully in one gulp. The afternoon was dragging towards its mellow hour. The sun was deepening the gold of its lances, the bees were going home and the birds were flying past less often. Dickon and Mary were sitting on the grass, the tea-basket was repacked ready to be taken back to the house, and Colin was lying against his cushions with his heavy locks pushed back from his forehead and his face looking quite a natural color.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—22
“I don’t want this afternoon to go,” he said; “but I shall come back tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after, and the day after.” “You’ll get plenty of fresh air, won’t you?” said Mary. “I’m going to get nothing else,” he answered. “I’ve seen the spring now and I’m going to see the summer. I’m going to see everything grow here. I’m going to grow here myself.” “That tha’ will,” said Dickon. “Us’ll have thee walkin’ about here an’ diggin’ same as other folk afore long.” Colin flushed tremendously. “Walk!” he said. “Dig! Shall I?” Dickon’s glance at him was delicately cautious. Neither he nor Mary had ever asked if anything was the matter with his legs. “For sure tha’ will,” he said stoutly. “Tha—tha’s got legs o’ thine own, same as other folks!” Mary was rather frightened until she heard Colin’s answer. “Nothing really ails them,” he said, “but they are so thin and weak. They shake so that I’m afraid to try to stand on them.” Both Mary and Dickon drew a relieved breath. “When tha’ stops bein’ afraid tha’lt stand on ‘em,” Dickon said with renewed cheer. An’ tha’lt stop bein’ afraid in a bit.” “I shall?” said Colin, and he lay still as if he were wondering about things. They were really very quiet for a little while. The sun was dropping lower. It was that hour when everything stills itself, and they really had had a busy and exciting afternoon. Colin looked as if he were resting luxuriously. Even the creatures had ceased moving about and had drawn together and were resting near them. Soot had perched on a low branch and drawn up one leg and dropped the gray film drowsily over his eyes. Mary privately thought he looked as if he might snore in a minute. In the midst of this stillness it was rather startling when Colin half lifted his head and exclaimed in a loud suddenly alarmed whisper: “Who is that man?” Dickon and Mary scrambled to their feet. “Man!” they both cried in low quick voices. Colin pointed to the high wall. “Look!” he whispered excitedly. “Just look!” Mary and Dickon wheeled about and looked. There was Ben Weatherstaff ’s indignant face glaring at them over the wall from the top of a ladder! He actually shook his fist at Mary. “If I wasn’t a bachelder, an’ tha’ was a wench o’ mine,” he cried, “I’d give thee a hidin’!” He mounted another step threateningly as if it were his energetic intention to jump down and deal with her; but as she came toward him he evidently thought better of it and stood on the top step of his ladder shaking his fist down at her.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—23
“I never thowt much o’ thee!” he harangued. “I couldna’ abide thee th’ first time I set eyes on thee. A scrawny buttermilk-faced young besom, allus askin’ questions an’ pokin’ tha’ nose where it wasna, wanted. I never knowed how tha’ got so thick wi’ me. If it hadna’ been for th’ robin— Drat him—” “Ben Weatherstaff,” called out Mary, finding her breath. She stood below him and called up to him with a sort of gasp. “Ben Weatherstaff, it was the robin who showed me the way!” Then it did seem as if Ben really would scramble down on her side of the wall, he was so outraged. “Tha’ young bad ‘un!” he called down at her. “Layin’ tha’ badness on a robin—not but what he’s impidint enow for anythin’. Him showin’ thee th’ way! Him! Eh! tha’ young nowt”—she could see his next words burst out because he was overpowered by curiosity—”however i’ this world did tha’ get in?” “It was the robin who showed me the way,” she protested obstinately. “He didn’t know he was doing it but he did. And I can’t tell you from here while you’re shaking your fist at me.” He stopped shaking his fist very suddenly at that very moment and his jaw actually dropped as he stared over her head at something he saw coming over the grass toward him. At the first sound of his torrent of words Colin had been so surprised that he had only sat up and listened as if he were spellbound. But in the midst of it he had recovered himself and beckoned imperiously to Dickon. “Wheel me over there!” he commanded. “Wheel me quite close and stop right in front of him!” And this, if you please, this is what Ben Weatherstaff beheld and which made his jaw drop. A wheeled chair with luxurious cushions and robes which came toward him looking rather like some sort of State Coach because young Rajah leaned back in it with royal command in his great blackrimmed eyes and a thin white hand extended haughtily toward him. And it stopped right under Ben Weatherstaff ’s nose. It was really no wonder his mouth dropped open. “Do you know who I am?” demanded the Rajah. How Ben Weatherstaff stared! His red old eyes fixed themselves on what was before him as if he were seeing a ghost. He gazed and gazed and gulped a lump down his throat and did not say a word. “Do you know who I am?” demanded Colin still more imperiously. “Answer!” Ben Weatherstaff put his gnarled hand up and passed it over his eyes and over his forehead and then he did answer in a queer shaky voice. “Who tha’ art?” he said. “Aye, that I do—wi’ tha’ mother’s eyes starin’ at me out o’ tha’ face. Lord knows how tha’ come here. But tha’rt th’ poor cripple.” Colin forgot that he had ever had a back. His face flushed scarlet and he sat bolt upright. “I’m not a cripple!” he cried out furiously. “I’m not!” “He’s not!” cried Mary, almost shouting up the wall in her fierce indignation. “He’s not got a lump as big as a pin! I looked and there was none there—not one!” Ben Weatherstaff passed his hand over his forehead again and gazed as if he could never gaze
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 26—24
enough. His hand shook and his mouth shook and his voice shook. He was an ignorant old man and a tactless old man and he could only remember the things he had heard. “Tha’—tha’ hasn’t got a crooked back?” he said hoarsely. “No!” shouted Colin. “Tha’—tha’ hasn’t got crooked legs?” quavered Ben more hoarsely yet. It was too much. The strength which Colin usually threw into his tantrums rushed through him now in a new way. Never yet had he been accused of crooked legs—even in whispers—and the perfectly simple belief in their existence which was revealed by Ben Weatherstaff ’s voice was more than Rajah flesh and blood could endure. His anger and insulted pride made him forget everything but this one moment and filled him with a power he had never known before, an almost un natural strength. “Come here!” he shouted to Dickon, and he actually began to tear the coverings off his lower limbs and disentangle himself. “Come here! Come here! This minute!” Dickon was by his side in a second. Mary caught her breath in a short gasp and felt herself turn pale. “He can do it! He can do it! He can do it! He can!” she gabbled over to herself under her breath as fast as ever she could. There was a brief fierce scramble, the rugs were tossed on the ground, Dickon held Colin’s arm, the thin legs were out, the thin feet were on the grass. Colin was standing upright—upright—as straight as an arrow and looking strangely tall—his head thrown back and his strange eyes flashing lightning. “Look at me!” he flung up at Ben Weatherstaff. “Just look at me—you! Just look at me!” “He’s as straight as I am!” cried Dickon. “He’s as straight as any lad i’ Yorkshire!” What Ben Weatherstaff did Mary thought queer beyond measure. He choked and gulped and suddenly tears ran down his weather-wrinkled cheeks as he struck his old hands together. “Eh!” he burst forth, “th’ lies folk tells! Tha’rt as thin as a lath an’ as white as a wraith, but there’s not a knob on thee. Tha’lt make a mon yet. God bless thee!” Dickon held Colin’s arm strongly but the boy had not begun to falter. He stood straighter and straighter and looked Ben Weatherstaff in the face. “I’m your master,” he said, “when my father is away. And you are to obey me. This is my garden. Don’t dare to say a word about it! You get down from that ladder and go out to the Long Walk and Miss Mary will meet you and bring you here. I want to talk to you. We did not want you, but now you will have to be in the secret. Be quick!” Ben Weatherstaff’s crabbed old face was still wet with that one queer rush of tears. It seemed as if he could not take his eyes from thin straight Colin standing on his feet with his head thrown back. “Eh! lad,” he almost whispered. “Eh! my lad!” And then remembering himself he suddenly touched his hat gardener fashion and said, “Yes, sir! Yes, sir!” and obediently disappeared as he descended the ladder.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 27—1
Lesson 27
Understanding the Author’s Theme The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will be able to understand what is meant by the theme of a story by reflecting on how the author illustrates the concept of “magic” in portions of The Secret Garden. Key Vocabulary: Peculiarity, Impartially, Orator Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: What does magic have to do with the novel? Extension: The student should create a poster in which the student presents ways in which we can increase self-esteem in a positive, encouraging manner. Ask the student to come up with a creative slogan or blurb that encourages other students to think positively about themselves, realizing that the “magic is within us!” Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question and defined the vocabulary words, ask her to read Chapters Twenty-Two and Twenty-Three aloud. After reading, ask the student to discuss what she thinks the magic is that Colin is talking about in these chapters, and what she thinks the magic was that made Colin walk. Mention that this use of “magic” can be considered a theme of the novel. Discuss that magic is in all of us when we think and feel positively about ourselves. Ask the student to discuss reasons why it is important to think positively about ourselves. Discuss ways in which we can increase our own personal self-esteem and list these ways on the board. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student research the affixes of the vocabulary words and write the definitions in her journal. Then have the student write the definitions of the words.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 27—1
Lesson 27
Understanding the Author’s Theme The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
What do you think magic has to do with this novel? There is magic in all of us when we think and feel positively about ourselves. Why is it important to think positively about ourselves? How can we increase our own personal self-esteem? After reading Chapters Twenty-Two and Twenty-Three aloud, you will become involved in a discussion about what you think the magic is that Colin is talking about in these chapters. What do you think the magic was that made Colin walk? Lesson Wrap Up: Research the definitions of the vocabulary words—Peculiarity, Impartially, Orator—and write them in her journal.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 27—2
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER XXII WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN When his head was out of sight Colin turned to Mary. “Go and meet him,” he said; and Mary flew across the grass to the door under the ivy. Dickon was watching him with sharp eyes. There were scarlet spots on his cheeks and he looked amazing, but he showed no signs of falling. “I can stand,” he said, and his head was still held up and he said it quite grandly. “I told thee tha’ could as soon as tha’ stopped bein’ afraid,” answered Dickon. “An’ tha’s stopped.” “Yes, I’ve stopped,” said Colin. Then suddenly he remembered something Mary had said. “Are you making Magic?” he asked sharply. Dickon’s curly mouth spread in a cheerful grin. “Tha’s doin’ Magic thysel’,” he said. “It’s same Magic as made these ‘ere work out o’ th’ earth,” and he touched with his thick boot a clump of crocuses in the grass. Colin looked down at them. “Aye,” he said slowly, “there couldna’ be bigger Magic than that there—there couldna’ be.” He drew himself up straighter than ever. “I’m going to walk to that tree,” he said, pointing to one a few feet away from him. “I’m going to be standing when Weatherstaff comes here. I can rest against the tree if I like. When I want to sit down I will sit down, but not before. Bring a rug from the chair.” He walked to the tree and though Dickon held his arm he was wonderfully steady. When he stood against the tree trunk it was not too plain that he supported himself against it, and he still held himself so straight that he looked tall. When Ben Weatherstaff came through the door in the wall he saw him standing there and he heard Mary muttering something under her breath. “What art sayin’?” he asked rather testily because he did not want his attention distracted from the long thin straight boy figure and proud face. But she did not tell him. What she was saying was this: “You can do it! You can do it! I told you you could! You can do it! You can do it! You can!” She was saying it to Colin because she wanted to make Magic and keep him on his feet looking like that. She could not bear that he should give in before Ben Weatherstaff. He did not give in. She was uplifted by a sudden feeling that he looked quite beautiful in spite of his thinness. He fixed his eyes on Ben Weatherstaff in his funny imperious way. “Look at me!” he commanded. “Look at me all over! Am I a hunchback? Have I got crooked legs?” Ben Weatherstaff had not quite got over his emotion, but he had recovered a little and answered almost in his usual way. “Not tha’,” he said. “Nowt o’ th’ sort. What’s tha’ been doin’ with thysel’—hidin’ out o’ sight an’ lettin’ folk think tha’ was cripple an’ half-witted?” “Half-witted!” said Colin angrily. “Who thought that?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 27—3
“Lots o’ fools,” said Ben. “Th’ world’s full o’ jackasses brayin’ an’ they never bray nowt but lies. What did tha’ shut thysel’ up for?” “Everyone thought I was going to die,” said Colin shortly. “I’m not!” And he said it with such decision Ben Weatherstaff looked him over, up and down, down and up. “Tha’ die!” he said with dry exultation. “Nowt o’ th’ sort! Tha’s got too much pluck in thee. When I seed thee put tha’ legs on th’ ground in such a hurry I knowed tha’ was all right. Sit thee down on th’ rug a bit young Mester an’ give me thy orders.” There was a queer mixture of crabbed tenderness and shrewd understanding in his manner. Mary had poured out speech as rapidly as she could as they had come down the Long Walk. The chief thing to be remembered, she had told him, was that Colin was getting well—getting well. The garden was doing it. No one must let him remember about having humps and dying. The Rajah condescended to seat himself on a rug under the tree. “What work do you do in the gardens, Weatherstaff?” he inquired. “Anythin’ I’m told to do,” answered old Ben. “I’m kep’ on by favor—because she liked me.” “She?” said Colin. “Tha’ mother,” answered Ben Weatherstaff. “My mother?” said Colin, and he looked about him quietly. “This was her garden, wasn’t it?” “Aye, it was that!” and Ben Weatherstaff looked about him too. “She were main fond of it.” “It is my garden now. I am fond of it. I shall come here every day,” announced Colin. “But it is to be a secret. My orders are that no one is to know that we come here. Dickon and my cousin have worked and made it come alive. I shall send for you sometimes to help—but you must come when no one can see you.” Ben Weatherstaff ’s face twisted itself in a dry old smile. “I’ve come here before when no one saw me,” he said. What!” exclaimed Colin. “When?” “Th’ last time I was here,” rubbing his chin and looking round, “was about two year’ ago.” “But no one has been in it for ten years!” cried Colin. “There was no door!” “I’m no one,” said old Ben dryly. “An’ I didn’t come through th’ door. I come over th’ wall. Th’ rheumatics held me back th’ last two year’.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 27—4
“Tha’ come an’ did a bit o’ prunin’!” cried Dickon.”I couldn’t make out how it had been done.” “She was so fond of it—she was!” said Ben Weatherstaff slowly. “An’ she was such a pretty young thing. She says to me once, `Ben,’ says she laughin’, `if ever I’m ill or if I go away you must take care of my roses.’ When she did go away th’ orders was no one was ever to come nigh. But I come,” with grumpy obstinacy. “Over th’ wall I come—until th’ rheumatics stopped me—an’ I did a bit o’ work once a year. She’d gave her order first.” “It wouldn’t have been as wick as it is if tha’ hadn’t done it,” said Dickon. “I did wonder.” “I’m glad you did it, Weatherstaff,” said Colin. “You’ll know how to keep the secret.” “Aye, I’ll know, sir,” answered Ben. “An, it’ll be easier for a man wi’ rheumatics to come in at th’ door.” On the grass near the tree Mary had dropped her trowel. Colin stretched out his hand and took it up. An odd expression came into his face and he began to scratch at the earth. His thin hand was weak enough but presently as they watched him—Mary with quite breathless interest—he drove the end of the trowel into the soil and turned some over. “You can do it! You can do it!” said Mary to herself. “I tell you, you can!” Dickon’s round eyes were full of eager curiousness but he said not a word. Ben Weatherstaff looked on with interested face. Colin persevered. After he had turned a few trowelfuls of soil he spoke exultantly to Dickon in his best Yorkshire. “Tha’ said as tha’d have me walkin’ about here same as other folk—an’ tha’ said tha’d have me diggin’. I thowt tha’ was just leein’ to please me. This is only th’ first day an’ I’ve walked—an’ here I am diggin’.” Ben Weatherstaff ’s mouth fell open again when he heard him, but he ended by chuckling. “Eh!” he said, “that sounds as if tha’d got wits enow. Tha’rt a Yorkshire lad for sure. An’ tha’rt diggin’, too. How’d tha’ like to plant a bit o’ somethin’? I can get thee a rose in a pot.” “Go and get it!” said Colin, digging excitedly. “Quick! Quick!” It was done quickly enough indeed. Ben Weatherstaff went his way forgetting rheumatics. Dickon took his spade and dug the hole deeper and wider than a new digger with thin white hands could make it. Mary slipped out to run and bring back a watering-can. When Dickon had deepened the hole Colin went on turning the soft earth over and over. He looked up at the sky, flushed and glowing with the strangely new exercise, slight as it was. “I want to do it before the sun goes quite—quite down,”he said. Mary thought that perhaps the sun held back a few minutes just on purpose. Ben Weatherstaff brought the rose in its pot from the greenhouse. He hobbled over the grass as fast as he could. He had begun to be excited, too. He knelt down by the hole and broke the pot from the mould. “Here, lad,” he said, handing the plant to Colin. “Set it in the earth thysel’ same as th’ king does when he goes to a new place.” The thin white hands shook a little and Colin’s flush grew deeper
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 27—5
as he set the rose in the mould and held it while old Ben made firm the earth. It was filled in and pressed down and made steady. Mary was leaning forward on her hands and knees. Soot had flown down and marched forward to see what was being done. Nut and Shell chattered about it from a cherry-tree. “It’s planted!” said Colin at last. “And the sun is only slipping over the edge. Help me up, Dickon. I want to be standing when it goes. That’s part of the Magic.” And Dickon helped him, and the Magic—or whatever it was—so gave him strength that when the sun did slip over the edge and end the strange lovely afternoon for them there he actually stood on his two feet—laughing.
CHAPTER XXIII MAGIC Dr. Craven had been waiting some time at the house when they returned to it. He had indeed begun to wonder if it might not be wise to send some one out to explore the garden paths. When Colin was brought back to his room the poor man looked him over seriously. “You should not have stayed so long,” he said. “You must not overexert yourself.” “I am not tired at all,” said Colin. “It has made me well. Tomorrow I am going out in the morning as well as in the afternoon.” “I am not sure that I can allow it,” answered Dr. Craven. “I am afraid it would not be wise.” “It would not be wise to try to stop me,” said Colin quite seriously. “I am going.” Even Mary had found out that one of Colin’s chief peculiarities was that he did not know in the least what a rude little brute he was with his way of ordering people about. He had lived on a sort of desert island all his life and as he had been the king of it he had made his own manners and had had no one to compare himself with. Mary had indeed been rather like him herself and since she had been at Misselthwaite had gradually discovered that her own manners had not been of the kind which is usual or popular. Having made this discovery she naturally thought it of enough interest to communicate to Colin. So she sat and looked at him curiously for a few minutes after Dr. Craven had gone. She wanted to make him ask her why she was doing it and of course she did. “What are you looking at me for?” he said. “I’m thinking that I am rather sorry for Dr. Craven.” “So am I,” said Colin calmly, but not without an air of some satisfaction. “He won’t get Misselthwaite at all now I’m not going to die.” “I’m sorry for him because of that, of course,” said Mary, “but I was thinking just then that it must have been very horrid to have had to be polite for ten years to a boy who was always rude. I would never have done it.” “Am I rude?” Colin inquired undisturbedly. “If you had been his own boy and he had been a
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slapping sort of man,” said Mary, “he would have slapped you.” “But he daren’t,” said Colin. “No, he daren’t,” answered Mistress Mary, thinking the thing out quite without prejudice. “Nobody ever dared to do anything you didn’t like—because you were going to die and things like that. You were such a poor thing.” “But,” announced Colin stubbornly, “I am not going to be a poor thing. I won’t let people think I’m one. I stood on my feet this afternoon.” “It is always having your own way that has made you so queer,” Mary went on, thinking aloud. Colin turned his head, frowning. “Am I queer?” he demanded. “Yes,” answered Mary, “very. But you needn’t be cross,” she added impartially, “because so am I queer—and so is Ben Weatherstaff. But I am not as queer as I was before I began to like people and before I found the garden.” “I don’t want to be queer,” said Colin. “I am not going to be,” and he frowned again with determination. He was a very proud boy. He lay thinking for a while and then Mary saw his beautiful smile begin and gradually change his whole face. “I shall stop being queer,” he said, “if I go every day to the garden. There is Magic in there—good Magic, you know, Mary. I am sure there is.” “So am I,”said Mary. “Even if it isn’t real Magic,” Colin said, “we can pretend it is. Something is there—something!” “It’s Magic,” said Mary, “but not black. It’s as white as snow.” They always called it Magic and indeed it seemed like it in the months that followed—the wonderful months—the radiant months—the amazing ones. Oh! the things which happened in that garden! If you have never had a garden you cannot understand, and if you have had a garden you will know that it would take a whole book to describe all that came to pass there. At first it seemed that green things would never cease pushing their way through the earth, in the grass, in the beds, even in the crevices of the walls. Then the green things began to show buds and the buds began to unfurl and show color, every shade of blue, every shade of purple, every tint and hue of crimson. In its happy days flowers had been tucked away into every inch and hole and corner. Ben Weatherstaff had seen it done and had himself scraped out mortar from between the bricks of the wall and made pockets of earth for lovely clinging things to grow on. Iris and white lilies rose out of the grass in sheaves, and the green alcoves filled themselves with amazing armies of the blue and white flower lances of tall delphiniums or columbines or campanulas. “She was main fond o’ them—she was,” Ben Weatherstaff said. “She liked them things as was
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allus pointin’ up to th’ blue sky, she used to tell. Not as she was one o’ them as looked down on th’ earth—not her. She just loved it but she said as th’ blue sky allus looked so joyful.” The seeds Dickon and Mary had planted grew as if fairies had tended them. Satiny poppies of all tints danced in the breeze by the score, gaily defying flowers which had lived in the garden for years and which it might be confessed seemed rather to wonder how such new people had got there. And the roses—the roses! Rising out of the grass, tangled round the sun-dial, wreathing the tree trunks and hanging from their branches, climbing up the walls and spreading over them with long garlands falling in cascades—they came alive day by day, hour by hour. Fair fresh leaves, and buds—and buds—tiny at first but swelling and working Magic until they burst and uncurled into cups of scent delicately spilling themselves over their brims and filling the garden air. Colin saw it all, watching each change as it took place. Every morning he was brought out and every hour of each day when it didn’t rain he spent in the garden. Even gray days pleased him. He would lie on the grass “watching things growing,” he said. If you watched long enough, he declared, you could see buds unsheath themselves. Also you could make the acquaintance of strange busy insect things running about on various unknown but evidently serious errands, sometimes carrying tiny scraps of straw or feather or food, or climbing blades of grass as if they were trees from whose tops one could look out to explore the country. A mole throwing up its mound at the end of its burrow and making its way out at last with the long-nailed paws which looked so like elfish hands, had absorbed him one whole morning. Ants’ ways, beetles’ ways, bees’ ways, frogs’ ways, birds’ ways, plants’ ways, gave him a new world to explore and when Dickon revealed them all and added foxes’ ways, otters’ ways, ferrets’ ways, squirrels’ ways, and trout’ and water-rats’ and badgers’ ways, there was no end to the things to talk about and think over. And this was not the half of the Magic. The fact that he had really once stood on his feet had set Colin thinking tremendously and when Mary told him of the spell she had worked he was excited and approved of it greatly. He talked of it constantly. “Of course there must be lots of Magic in the world,” he said wisely one day, “but people don’t know what it is like or how to make it. Perhaps the beginning is just to say nice things are going to happen until you make them happen. I am going to try and experiment.” The next morning when they went to The Secret Garden he sent at once for Ben Weatherstaff. Ben came as quickly as he could and found the Rajah standing on his feet under a tree and looking very grand but also very beautifully smiling. “Good morning, Ben Weatherstaff,” he said. “I want you and Dickon and Miss Mary to stand in a row and listen to me because I am going to tell you something very important.” “Aye, aye, sir!” answered Ben Weatherstaff, touching his forehead. (One of the long concealed charms of Ben Weatherstaff was that in his boyhood he had once run away to sea and had made voyages. So he could reply like a sailor.) “I am going to try a scientific experiment,” explained the Rajah. “When I grow up I am going to make great scientific discoveries and I am going to begin now with this experiment” “Aye, aye, sir!” said Ben Weatherstaff promptly, though this was the first time he had heard of
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 27—8
great scientific discoveries. It was the first time Mary had heard of them, either, but even at this stage she had begun to realize that, queer as he was, Colin had read about a great many singular things and was somehow a very convincing sort of boy. When he held up his head and fixed his strange eyes on you it seemed as if you believed him almost in spite of yourself though he was only ten years old—going on eleven. At this moment he was especially convincing because he suddenly felt the fascination of actually making a sort of speech like a grown-up person. “The great scientific discoveries I am going to make,” he went on, “will be about Magic. Magic is a great thing and scarcely any one knows anything about it except a few people in old books—and Mary a little, because she was born in India where there are fakirs. I believe Dickon knows some Magic, but perhaps he doesn’t know he knows it. He charms animals and people. I would never have let him come to see me if he had not been an animal charmer—which is a boy charmer, too, because a boy is an animal. I am sure there is Magic in everything, only we have not sense enough to get hold of it and make it do things for us—like electricity and horses and steam.” This sounded so imposing that Ben Weatherstaff became quite excited and really could not keep still. “Aye, aye, sir,” he said and he began to stand up quite straight. “When Mary found this garden it looked quite dead,” the orator proceeded. “Then something began pushing things up out of the soil and making things out of nothing. One day things weren’t there and another they were. I had never watched things before and it made me feel very curious. Scientific people are always curious and I am going to be scientific. I keep saying to myself, `What is it? What is it?’ It’s something. It can’t be nothing! I don’t know its name so I call it Magic. I have never seen the sun rise but Mary and Dickon have and from what they tell me I am sure that is Magic too. Something pushes it up and draws it. Sometimes since I’ve been in the garden I’ve looked up through the trees at the sky and I have had a strange feeling of being happy as if something were pushing and drawing in my chest and making me breathe fast. Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing. Everything is made out of Magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us. In this garden—in all the places. The Magic in this garden has made me stand up and know I am going to live to be a man. I am going to make the scientific experiment of trying to get some and put it in myself and make it push and draw me and make me strong. I don’t know how to do it but I think that if you keep thinking about it and calling it perhaps it will come. Perhaps that is the first baby way to get it. When I was going to try to stand that first time Mary kept saying to herself as fast as she could, `You can do it! You can do it!’ and I did. I had to try myself at the same time, of course, but her Magic helped me—and so did Dickon’s. Every morning and evening and as often in the daytime as I can remember I am going to say, ‘Magic is in me! Magic is making me well! I am going to be as strong as Dickon, as strong as Dickon!’ And you must all do it, too. That is my experiment Will you help, Ben Weatherstaff?” “Aye, aye, sir!” said Ben Weatherstaff. “Aye, aye!” “If you keep doing it every day as regularly as soldiers go through drill we shall see what will
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 27—9
happen and find out if the experiment succeeds. You learn things by saying them over and over and thinking about them until they stay in your mind forever and I think it will be the same with Magic. If you keep calling it to come to you and help you it will get to be part of you and it will stay and do things.” “I once heard an officer in India tell my mother that there were fakirs who said words over and over thousands of times,” said Mary. “I’ve heard Jem Fettleworth’s wife say th’ same thing over thousands o’ times—callin’ Jem a drunken brute,” said Ben Weatherstaff dryly. “Summat allus come o’ that, sure enough. He gave her a good hidin’ an’ went to th’ Blue Lion an’ got as drunk as a lord.” Colin drew his brows together and thought a few minutes. Then he cheered up. “Well,” he said, “you see something did come of it. She used the wrong Magic until she made him beat her. If she’d used the right Magic and had said something nice perhaps he wouldn’t have got as drunk as a lord and perhaps—perhaps he might have bought her a new bonnet.” Ben Weatherstaff chuckled and there was shrewd admiration in his little old eyes. “Tha’rt a clever lad as well as a straight-legged one, Mester Colin,” he said. “Next time I see Bess Fettleworth I’ll give her a bit of a hint o’ what Magic will do for her. She’d be rare an’ pleased if th’ sinetifik ‘speriment worked —an’ so ‘ud Jem.” Dickon had stood listening to the lecture, his round eyes shining with curious delight. Nut and Shell were on his shoulders and he held a long-eared white rabbit in his arm and stroked and stroked it softly while it laid its ears along its back and enjoyed itself. “Do you think the experiment will work?” Colin asked him, wondering what he was thinking. He so often wondered what Dickon was thinking when he saw him looking at him or at one of his “creatures” with his happy wide smile. He smiled now and his smile was wider than usual. “Aye,” he answered, “that I do. It’ll work same as th’ seeds do when th’ sun shines on ‘em. It’ll work for sure. Shall us begin it now?” Colin was delighted and so was Mary. Fired by recollections of fakirs and devotees in illustrations Colin suggested that they should all sit cross-legged under the tree which made a canopy. “It will be like sitting in a sort of temple,” said Colin. “I’m rather tired and I want to sit down.” “Eh!” said Dickon, “tha’ mustn’t begin by sayin’ tha’rt tired. Tha’ might spoil th’ Magic.” Colin turned and looked at him—into his innocent round eyes. “That’s true,” he said slowly. “I must only think of the Magic.” It all seemed most majestic and mysterious when they sat down in their circle. Ben Weatherstaff felt as if he had somehow been led into appearing at a prayer-meeting. Ordinarily he was very fixed in being what he called “agen’ prayer-meetin’s” but this being the Rajah’s affair he did not resent it and was indeed inclined to be gratified at being called upon to assist. Mistress Mary felt solemnly enraptured. Dickon held his rabbit in his arm, and perhaps he made some charmer’s signal no one heard, for when he sat down, cross-legged like the rest, the crow, the fox, the squirrels and the lamb slowly drew near and made part of the circle, settling each into a place of rest as if of their own desire.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 27—10
“The `creatures’ have come,” said Colin gravely. “They want to help us.” Colin really looked quite beautiful, Mary thought. He held his head high as if he felt like a sort of priest and his strange eyes had a wonderful look in them. The light shone on him through the tree canopy. “Now we will begin,” he said. “Shall we sway backward and forward, Mary, as if we were dervishes?” “I canna’ do no swayin’ back’ard and for’ard,” said Ben Weatherstaff. “I’ve got th’ rheumatics.” “The Magic will take them away,” said Colin in a High Priest tone, “but we won’t sway until it has done it. We will only chant.” “I canna’ do no chantin’” said Ben Weatherstaff a trifle testily. “They turned me out o’ th’ church choir th’ only time I ever tried it.”No one smiled. They were all too much in earnest.Colin’s face was not even crossed by a shadow. He was thinking only of the Magic. “Then I will chant,” he said. And he began, looking like a strange boy spirit. “The sun is shining— the sun is shining. That is the Magic. The flowers are growing—the roots are stirring. That is the Magic. Being alive is the Magic—being strong is the Magic. The Magic is in me—the Magic is in me. It is in me—it is in me. It’s in every one of us. It’s in Ben Weatherstaff ’s back. Magic! Magic! Come and help!” He said it a great many times—not a thousand times but quite a goodly number. Mary listened entranced. She felt as if it were at once queer and beautiful and she wanted him to go on and on. Ben Weatherstaff began to feel soothed into a sort of dream which was quite agreeable. The humming of the bees in the blossoms mingled with the chanting voice and drowsily melted into a doze. Dickon sat cross-legged with his rabbit asleep on his arm and a hand resting on the lamb’s back. Soot had pushed away a squirrel and huddled close to him on his shoulder, the gray film dropped over his eyes. At last Colin stopped. “Now I am going to walk round the garden,” he announced. Ben Weatherstaff ’s head had just dropped forward and he lifted it with a jerk. “You have been asleep,” said Colin. “Nowt o’ th’ sort,” mumbled Ben. “Th’ sermon was good enow—but I’m bound to get out afore th’ collection.” He was not quite awake yet. “You’re not in church,” said Colin. “Not me,” said Ben, straightening himself. “Who said I were? I heard every bit of it. You said th’ Magic was in my back. Th’ doctor calls it rheumatics.” The Rajah waved his hand. “That was the wrong Magic,” he said. “You will get better. You have my permission to go to you work. But come back tomorrow.” “I’d like to see thee walk round the garden,” grunted Ben. It was not an unfriendly grunt, but it
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 27—11
was a grunt. In fact, being a stubborn old party and not having entire faith in Magic he had made up his mind that if he were sent away he would climb his ladder and look over the wall so that he might be ready to hobble back if there were any stumbling. The Rajah did not object to his staying and so the procession was formed. It really did look like a procession. Colin was at its head with Dickon on one side and Mary on the other. Ben Weatherstaff walked behind, and the “creatures” trailed after them, the lamb and the fox cub keeping close to Dickon, the white rabbit hopping along or stopping to nibble and Soot following with the solemnity of a person who felt himself in charge. It was a procession which moved slowly but with dignity. Every few yards it stopped to rest. Colin leaned on Dickon’s arm and privately Ben Weatherstaff kept a sharp lookout, but now and then Colin took his hand from its support and walked a few steps alone. His head was held up all the time and he looked very grand. “The Magic is in me!” he kept saying. “The Magic is making me strong! I can feel it! I can feel it!” It seemed very certain that something was upholding and uplifting him. He sat on the seats in the alcoves, and once or twice he sat down on the grass and several times he paused in the path and leaned on Dickon, but he would not give up until he had gone all round the garden. When he returned to the canopy tree his cheeks were flushed and he looked triumphant. “I did it! The Magic worked!” he cried. “That is my first scientific discovery.” “What will Dr. Craven say?” broke out Mary. “He won’t say anything,” Colin answered, “because he will not be told. This is to be the biggest secret of all. No one is to know anything about it until I have grown so strong that I can walk and run like any other boy. I shall come here every day in my chair and I shall be taken back in it. I won’t have people whispering and asking questions and I won’t let my father hear about it until the experiment has quite succeeded. Then sometime when he comes back to Misselthwaite I shall just walk into his study and say `Here I am; I am like any other boy. I am quite well and I shall live to be a man. It has been done by a scientific experiment.’” “He will think he is in a dream,” cried Mary. “He won’t believe his eyes.” Colin flushed triumphantly. He had made himself believe that he was going to get well, which was really more than half the battle, if he had been aware of it. And the thought which stimulated him more than any other was this imagining what his father would look like when he saw that he had a son who was as straight and strong as other fathers’ sons. One of his darkest miseries in the unhealthy morbid past days had been his hatred of being a sickly weak-backed boy whose father was afraid to look at him. “He’ll be obliged to believe them,” he said. “One of the things I am going to do, after the Magic works and before I begin to make scientific discoveries, is to be an athlete.” “We shall have thee takin’ to boxin’ in a week or so,” said Ben Weatherstaff. “Tha’lt end wi’ winnin’ th’ Belt an’ bein’ champion prize-fighter of all England.”
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Colin fixed his eyes on him sternly. “Weatherstaff,” he said, “that is disrespectful. You must not take liberties because you are in the secret. However much the Magic works I shall not be a prizefighter. I shall be a Scientific Discoverer.” “Ax pardon—ax pardon, sir” answered Ben, touching his forehead in salute. “I ought to have seed it wasn’t a jokin’ matter,” but his eyes twinkled and secretly he was immensely pleased. He really did not mind being snubbed since the snubbing meant that the lad was gaining strength and spirit.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—1
Lesson 28
Secrets The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will learn to write an acrostic poem as well as define and use key terms from The Secret Garden in complete sentences that demonstrate understanding of the vocabulary. Key Vocabulary: Indifference, Drought, Gentry, Acrostic Materials Needed: Writing journal Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: Do you keep secrets? Are some secrets easier to keep than others? Are their certain secrets you should never keep? How do you know the difference? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin this Lesson by asking the student to write an acrostic poem using the letters in the word “secret” which relates to the book. Remind the student that in an acrostic poem, each letter of the title or topic word is the first letter of a line containing either a word or phrase that relates to the overall topic of the poem. In this acrostic, there should be 6 lines, one for each letter in the word “secret.” Be sure to provide the student with a visual example of this type of poem. The student should create his acrostic in his journal. Assign or read aloud Chapters Twenty-Four and Twenty-Five of the novel and have the student answer the Study Questions corresponding to these chapters. Answers to Chapters Twenty-Four and Twenty-Five Study Questions: What does Dickon understand about all living things? They are just like all creatures and need the same love and attention. What do you think Dickon’s mother means when she says that Mary’s coming to the manor has been “th’ makin’ o’ her an’ th’ savin o’ him”? It is helping both of the children. What are the details of Colin’s plan to surprise his father with his ability to walk? He will practice everyday to learn to walk but groan in pain once in awhile to throw him off.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—2
What does Dickon’s mother know about laughter? Do people today believe laughter can help you to heal? Laughter is good medicine; Answers will vary. What part of Colin’s plan does not work? How does Dickon’s mother plan to help the children? It sometimes hurts him to practice; She will give the children bread and milk in the morning so they will not go hungry. What is Dickon and Mary’s plan to protect themselves from suspicion? The food. Explain what Colin means when he calls Dickon’s mother a magic person. Answers will vary. What does Colin do every day in the garden? He goes to a place he likes. What does Dickon learn from Bob Hawroth, the champion wrestler, and then teach Colin? What puzzles the nurse? He learns to exercise his legs and arms in order to build his muscles. What does the robin instinctively sense about Dickon? What human qualities does the author give the robin? How does the robin react differently to Colin and Mary? The robin knows that Dickon will not do anything to hurt his eggs; Speech and movement; He reacts differently to Colin who isn’t walking but is being wheeled to the garden in a chair. How does Colin feel about the house he lives in? He feels the house is almost like a secret garden. What does Colin wish for his father and himself? He wishes that his dad would come home. Describe positive changes in Mary. Answers will vary. Describe positive changes in Colin. Answers will vary. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to use each of the vocabulary words in a full sentence describing a character, setting, or event from The Secret Garden. Then have the student rewrite the sentence, using a word that means the same as the original vocabulary word. The student should write these sentences in his journal but be prepared to say one or two them aloud if you ask him to.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—1
Lesson 28
Secrets The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Do you keep secrets? Are some secrets easier to keep than others? Are their certain secrets you should never keep? How do you know the difference? Today you are going to write an acrostic poem using the letters in the word “secret” which relates to the book. In an acrostic poem, each letter of the word is the first letter of a line containing either a word or phrase that relates to the overall subject of the poem. In this acrostic, there should be 6 lines, one for each letter in the word “secret.” Create this poem in your journal. When you have finished, read Chapters Twenty-Four and Twenty-Five of the novel and answer the Study Questions corresponding to these chapters. Lesson Wrap-Up: Use each of the vocabulary words in a full sentence describing a character, setting, or event from The Secret Garden. Write these sentences in your journal but be prepared to say one or two them aloud.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—2
Chapters Twenty-Four and Twenty-Five Study Questions What does Dickon understand about all living things?
What do you think Dickon’s mother means when she says that Mary’s coming to the manor has been “th’ makin’ o’ her an’ th’ savin o’ him”?
What are the details of Colin’s plan to surprise his father with his ability to walk?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—3
What does Dickon’s mother know about laughter? Do people today believe laughter can help you to heal?
What part of Colin’s plan does not work? How does Dickon’s mother plan to help the children?
What is Dickon and Mary’s plan to protect themselves from suspicion?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—4
Explain what Colin means when he calls Dickon’s mother a magic person.
What does Colin do every day in the garden?
What does Dickon learn from Bob Hawroth, the champion wrestler, and then teach Colin?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—5
What puzzles the nurse?
What does the robin instinctively sense about Dickon? What human qualities does the author give the robin? How does the robin react differently to Colin and Mary?
How does Colin feel about the house he lives in?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—6
What does Colin wish for his father and himself?
Describe positive changes in Mary.
Describe positive changes in Colin.
Examine the vocabulary term lists in your journal for the novel. Next to each term, use the word in a sentence to clarify the meaning.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—7
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER XXIV “LET THEM LAUGH” The Secret Garden was not the only one Dickon worked in. Round the cottage on the moor there was a piece of ground enclosed by a low wall of rough stones. Early in the morning and late in the fading twilight and on all the days Colin and Mary did not see him, Dickon worked there planting or tending potatoes and cabbages, turnips and carrots and herbs for his mother. In the company of his “creatures” he did wonders there and was never tired of doing them, it seemed. While he dug or weeded he whistled or sang bits of Yorkshire moor songs or talked to Soot or Captain or the brothers and sisters he had taught to help him. “We’d never get on as comfortable as we do,” Mrs. Sowerby said,”if it wasn’t for Dickon’s garden. Anything’ll grow for him. His ‘taters and cabbages is twice th’ size of any one else’s an’ they’ve got a flavor with ‘em as nobody’s has.” When she found a moment to spare she liked to go out and talk to him. After supper there was still a long clear twilight to work in and that was her quiet time. She could sit upon the low rough wall and look on and hear stories of the day. She loved this time. There were not only vegetables in this garden. Dickon had bought penny packages of flower seeds now and then and sown bright sweet-scented things among gooseberry bushes and even cabbages and he grew borders of mignonette and pinks and pansies and things whose seeds he could save year after year or whose roots would bloom each spring and spread in time into fine clumps. The low wall was one of the prettiest things in Yorkshire because he had tucked moorland foxglove and ferns and rock-cress and hedgerow flowers into every crevice until only here and there glimpses of the stones were to be seen. “All a chap’s got to do to make ‘em thrive, mother,” he would say, “is to be friends with ‘em for sure. They’re just like th’ `creatures.’ If they’re thirsty give ‘em drink and if they’re hungry give ‘em a bit o’ food. They want to live same as we do. If they died I should feel as if I’d been a bad lad and somehow treated them heartless.” It was in these twilight hours that Mrs. Sowerby heard of all that happened at Misselthwaite Manor. At first she was only told that “Mester Colin” had taken a fancy to going out into the grounds with Miss Mary and that it was doing him good. But it was not long before it was agreed between the two children that Dickon’s mother might “come into the secret.” Somehow it was not doubted that she was “safe for sure.” So one beautiful still evening Dickon told the whole story, with all the thrilling details of the buried key and the robin and the gray haze which had seemed like deadness and the secret Mistress Mary had planned never to reveal. The coming of Dickon and how it had been told to him, the doubt of Mester Colin and the final drama of his introduction to the hidden domain, combined with the incident of Ben Weatherstaff ’s angry face peering over the wall and Mester Colin’s sudden indignant strength, made Mrs. Sowerby’s nice-looking face quite change color several times. “My word!” she said. “It was a good thing that little lass came to th’ Manor. It’s been th’ makin’
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—8
o’ her an ‘th’ savin, o’ him. Standin’ on his feet! An’ us all thinkin’ he was a poor half-witted lad with not a straight bone in him.” She asked a great many questions and her blue eyes were full of deep thinking. “What do they make of it at th’ Manor—him being so well an’ cheerful an’ never complainin’?” she inquired. “They don’t know what to make of it,” answered Dickon. “Every day as comes round his face looks different. It’s fillin’ out and doesn’t look so sharp an’ th’ waxy color is goin’. But he has to do his bit o’ complainin’,” with a highly entertained grin. “What for, i’ Mercy’s name?” asked Mrs. Sowerby. Dickon chuckled. “He does it to keep them from guessin’ what’s happened. If the doctor knew he’d found out he could stand on his feet he’d likely write and tell Mester Craven. Mester Colin’s savin’ th’ secret to tell himself. He’s goin’ to practise his Magic on his legs every day till his father comes back an’ then he’s goin’ to march into his room an’ show him he’s as straight as other lads. But him an’ Miss Mary thinks it’s best plan to do a bit o’ groanin’ an’ frettin’ now an’ then to throw folk off th’ scent.” Mrs. Sowerby was laughing a low comfortable laugh long before he had finished his last sentence. “Eh!” she said, “that pair’s enjoyin’ their-selves I’ll warrant. They’ll get a good bit o’ actin’ out of it an’ there’s nothin’ children likes as much as play actin’. Let’s hear what they do, Dickon lad.” Dickon stopped weeding and sat up on his heels to tell her. His eyes were twinkling with fun. “Mester Colin is carried down to his chair every time he goes out,” he explained. “An’ he flies out at John, th’ footman, for not carryin’ him careful enough. He makes himself as helpless lookin’ as he can an’ never lifts his head until we’re out o’ sight o’ th’ house. An’ he grunts an’ frets a good bit when he’s bein’ settled into his chair. Him an’ Miss Mary’s both got to enjoyin’ it an’ when he groans an’ complains she’ll say, `Poor Colin! Does it hurt you so much? Are you so weak as that, poor Colin?’—but th’ trouble is that sometimes they can scarce keep from burstin’ out laughin’. When we get safe into the garden they laugh till they’ve no breath left to laugh with. An’ they have to stuff their faces into Mester Colin’s cushions to keep the gardeners from hearin’, if any of, ‘em’s about.” “Th’ more they laugh th’ better for ‘em!” said Mrs. Sowerby, still laughing herself. “Good healthy child laughin’s better than pills any day o’ th’ year. That pair’ll plump up for sure.” “They are plumpin’ up,” said Dickon. “They’re that hungry they don’t know how to get enough to eat without makin’ talk. Mester Colin says if he keeps sendin’ for more food they won’t believe he’s an invalid at all. Miss Mary says she’ll let him eat her share, but he says that if she goes hungry she’ll get thin an’ they mun both get fat at once.” Mrs. Sowerby laughed so heartily at the revelation of this difficulty that she quite rocked backward and forward in her blue cloak, and Dickon laughed with her. I’ll tell thee what, lad,” Mrs. Sowerby said when she could speak. “I’ve thought of a way to help ‘em. When tha’ goes to ‘em in th’ mornin’s tha’ shall take a pail o’ good new milk an’ I’ll bake ‘em a crusty cottage loaf or some buns wi’ currants in ‘em, same as you children like. Nothin’s so good as fresh milk an’ bread. Then they could take off th’ edge o’ their hunger while they were in their garden an’ th, fine food they get indoors ‘ud polish off th’ corners.”
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—9
“Eh! mother!” said Dickon admiringly, “what a wonder tha’ art! Tha’ always sees a way out o’ things. They was quite in a pother yesterday. They didn’t see how they was to manage without orderin’ up more food—they felt that empty inside.” “They’re two young ‘uns growin’ fast, an’ health’s comin’ back to both of ‘em. Children like that feels like young wolves an’ food’s flesh an’ blood to ‘em,” said Mrs. Sowerby. Then she smiled Dickon’s own curving smile. “Eh! but they’re enjoyin’ theirselves for sure,” she said. She was quite right, the comfortable wonderful mother creature—and she had never been more so than when she said their “play actin’” would be their joy. Colin and Mary found it one of their most thrilling sources of entertainment. The idea of protecting themselves from suspicion had been unconsciously suggested to them first by the puzzled nurse and then by Dr. Craven himself. “Your appetite. Is improving very much, Master Colin,” the nurse had said one day. “You used to eat nothing, and so many things disagreed with you.” “Nothing disagrees with me now” replied Colin, and then seeing the nurse looking at him curiously he suddenly remembered that perhaps he ought not to appear too well just yet. “At least things don’t so often disagree with me. It’s the fresh air.” “Perhaps it is,” said the nurse, still looking at him with a mystified expression. “But I must talk to Dr. Craven about it.” “How she stared at you!” said Mary when she went away. “As if she thought there must be something to find out.” “I won’t have her finding out things,” said Colin. “No one must begin to find out yet.” When Dr. Craven came that morning he seemed puzzled, also. He asked a number of questions, to Colin’s great annoyance. “You stay out in the garden a great deal,” he suggested. “Where do you go?” Colin put on his favorite air of dignified indifference to opinion. “I will not let any one know where I go,” he answered. “I go to a place I like. Every one has orders to keep out of the way. I won’t be watched and stared at. You know that!” “You seem to be out all day but I do not think it has done you harm—I do not think so. The nurse says that you eat much more than you have ever done before.” “Perhaps,” said Colin, prompted by a sudden inspiration, “perhaps it is an unnatural appetite.” “I do not think so, as your food seems to agree with you,” said Dr. Craven. “You are gaining flesh rapidly and your color is better.” “Perhaps—perhaps I am bloated and feverish,” said Colin, assuming a discouraging air of gloom. “People who are not going to live are often—different.” Dr. Craven shook his head. He was
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holding Colin’s wrist and he pushed up his sleeve and felt his arm. “You are not feverish,” he said thoughtfully, “and such flesh as you have gained is healthy. If you can keep this up, my boy, we need not talk of dying. Your father will be happy to hear of this remarkable improvement.” “I won’t have him told!” Colin broke forth fiercely. “It will only disappoint him if I get worse again—and I may get worse this very night. I might have a raging fever. I feel as if I might be beginning to have one now. I won’t have letters written to my father—I won’t—I won’t! You are making me angry and you know that is bad for me. I feel hot already. I hate being written about and being talked over as much as I hate being stared at!” “Hush-h! my boy,” Dr. Craven soothed him. “Nothing shall e written without your permission. You are too sensitive about things. You must not undo the good which has been done.” He said no more about writing to Mr. Craven and when he saw the nurse he privately warned her that such a possibility must not be mentioned to the patient. “The boy is extraordinarily better,” he said. “His advance seems almost abnormal. But of course he is doing now of his own free will what we could not make him do before. Still, he excites himself very easily and nothing must be said to irritate him.” Mary and Colin were much alarmed and talked together anxiously. From this time dated their plan of “play actin’.” “I may be obliged to have a tantrum,” said Colin regretfully. “I don’t want to have one and I’m not miserable enough now to work myself into a big one. Perhaps I couldn’t have one at all. That lump doesn’t come in my throat now and I keep thinking of nice things instead of horrible ones. But if they talk about writing to my father I shall have to do something.” He made up his mind to eat less, but unfortunately it was not possible to carry out this brilliant idea when he wakened each morning with an amazing appetite and the table near his sofa was set with a breakfast of home-made bread and fresh butter, snow-white eggs, raspberry jam and clotted cream. Mary always breakfasted with him and when they found themselves at the table— particularly if there were delicate slices of sizzling ham sending forth tempting odors from under a hot silver cover—they would look into each other’s eyes in desperation. “I think we shall have to eat it all this morning, Mary,” Colin always ended by saying. “We can send away some of the lunch and a great deal of the dinner.” But they never found they could send away anything and the highly polished condition of the empty plates returned to the pantry awakened much comment. “I do wish,” Colin would say also, “I do wish the slices of ham were thicker, and one muffin each is not enough for any one.” “It’s enough for a person who is going to die,” answered Mary when first she heard this, “but it’s not enough for a person who is going to live. I sometimes feel as if I could eat three when those nice fresh heather and gorse smells from the moor come pouring in at the open window.”
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—11
The morning that Dickon—after they had been enjoying themselves in the garden for about two hours—went behind a big rosebush and brought forth two tin pails and revealed that one was full of rich new milk with cream on the top of it, and that the other held cottage-made currant buns folded in a clean blue and white napkin, buns so carefully tucked in that they were still hot, there was a riot of surprised joyfulness. What a wonderful thing for Mrs. Sowerby to think of! What a kind, clever woman she must be! How good the buns were! And what delicious fresh milk! “Magic is in her just as it is in Dickon,” said Colin. “It makes her think of ways to do things— nice things. She is a Magic person. Tell her we are grateful, Dickon—extremely grateful.” He was given to using rather grown-up phrases at times. He enjoyed them. He liked his so much that he improved upon it. “Tell her she has been most bounteous and our gratitude is extreme.” And then forgetting his grandeur he fell to and stuffed himself with buns and drank milk out of the pail in copious draughts in the manner of any hungry little boy who had been taking unusual exercise and breathing in moorland air and whose breakfast was more than two hours behind him. This was the beginning of many agreeable incidents of the same kind. They actually awoke to the fact that as Mrs. Sowerby had fourteen people to provide food for she might not have enough to satisfy two extra appetites every day. So they asked her to let them send some of their shillings to buy things. Dickon made the stimulating discovery that in the wood in the park outside the garden where Mary had first found him piping to the wild creatures there was a deep little hollow where you could build a sort of tiny oven with stones and roast potatoes and eggs in it. Roasted eggs were a previously unknown luxury and very hot potatoes with salt and fresh butter in them were fit for a woodland king—besides being deliciously satisfying. You could buy both potatoes and eggs and eat as many as you liked without feeling as if you were taking food out of the mouths of fourteen people. Every beautiful morning the Magic was worked by the mystic circle under the plum-tree which provided a canopy of thickening green leaves after its brief blossom-time was ended. After the ceremony Colin always took his walking exercise and throughout the day he exercised his newly found power at intervals. Each day he grew stronger and could walk more steadily and cover more ground. And each day his belief in the Magic grew stronger—as well it might. He tried one experiment after another as he felt himself gaining strength and it was Dickon who showed him the best things of all. “Yesterday,” he said one morning after an absence, “I went to Thwaite for mother an’ near th’ Blue Cow Inn I seed Bob Haworth. He’s the strongest chap on th’ moor. He’s the champion wrestler an’ he can jump higher than any other chap an’ throw th’ hammer farther. He’s gone all th’ way to Scotland for th’ sports some years. He’s knowed me ever since I was a little ‘un an’ he’s a friendly sort an’ I axed him some questions. Th’ gentry calls him a athlete and I thought o’ thee, Mester Colin, and I says, `How did tha’ make tha’ muscles stick out that way, Bob? Did tha’ do anythin’ extra to make thysel’ so strong?’ An’ he says ‘Well, yes, lad, I did. A strong man in a show that came to Thwaite once showed me how to exercise my arms an’ legs an’ every muscle in my body. An’ I says, `Could a delicate chap make himself stronger with ‘em, Bob?’ an’ he laughed an’ says, ‘Art tha’ th’
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—12
delicate chap?’ an’ I says, `No, but I knows a young gentleman that’s gettin’ well of a long illness an’ I wish I knowed some o’ them tricks to tell him about.’ I didn’t say no names an, he didn’t ask none. He’s friendly same as I said an’ he stood up an’ showed me good-natured like, an’ I imitated what he did till I knowed it by heart.” Colin had been listening excitedly. “Can you show me?” he cried. “Will you?” “Aye, to be sure,” Dickon answered, getting up. “But he says tha’ mun do ‘em gentle at first an’ be careful not to tire thysel’. Rest in between times an’ take deep breaths an’ don’t overdo.” “I’ll be careful,” said Colin. “Show me! Show me! Dickon, you are the most Magic boy in the world!” Dickon stood up on the grass and slowly went through a carefully practical but simple series of muscle exercises. Colin watched them with widening eyes. He could do a few while he was sitting down. Presently he did a few gently while he stood upon his already steadied feet. Mary began to do them also. Soot, who was watching the performance, became much disturbed and left his branch and hopped about restlessly because he could not do them too. From that time the exercises were part of the day’s duties as much as the Magic was. It became possible for both Colin and Mary to do more of them each time they tried, and such appetites were the results that but for the basket Dickon put down behind the bush each morning when he arrived they would have been lost. But the little oven in the hollow and Mrs. Sowerby’s bounties were so satisfying that Mrs. Medlock and the nurse and Dr. Craven became mystified again. You can trifle with your breakfast and seem to disdain your dinner if you are full to the brim with roasted eggs and potatoes and richly frothed new milk and oatcakes and buns and heather honey and clotted cream. “They are eating next to nothing,” said the nurse. “They’ll die of starvation if they can’t be persuaded to take some nourishment. And yet see how they look.” “Look!” exclaimed Mrs. Medlock indignantly. “Eh! I’m moithered to death with them. They’re a pair of young Satans. Bursting their jackets one day and the next turning up their noses at the best meals Cook can tempt them with. Not a mouthful of that lovely young fowl and bread sauce did they set a fork into yesterday—and the poor woman fair invented a pudding for them—and back it’s sent. She almost cried. She’s afraid she’ll be blamed if they starve themselves into their graves.” Dr. Craven came and looked at Colin long and carefully. He wore an extremely worried expression when the nurse talked with him and showed him the almost untouched tray of breakfast she had saved for him to look at—but it was even more worried when he sat down by Colin’s sofa and examined him. He had been called to London on business and had not seen the boy for nearly two weeks. When young things begin to gain health they gain it rapidly. The waxen tinge had left, Colins skin and a warm rose showed through it; his beautiful eyes were clear and the hollows under them and in his cheeks and temples had filled out. His once dark, heavy locks had begun to look as if they sprang healthily from his forehead and were soft and warm with life. His lips were fuller and of a normal color. In fact as an imitation of a boy who was a confirmed invalid he was a disgraceful sight. Dr. Craven held his chin in his hand and thought him over.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—13
“I am sorry to hear that you do not eat anything,” he said. “That will not do. You will lose all you have gained —and you have gained amazingly. You ate so well a short time ago.” “I told you it was an unnatural appetite,” answered Colin. Mary was sitting on her stool nearby and she suddenly made a very queer sound which she tried so violently to repress that she ended by almost choking. “What is the matter?” said Dr. Craven, turning to look at her. Mary became quite severe in her manner. “It was something between a sneeze and a cough,” she replied with reproachful dignity, “and it got into my throat.” “But,” she said afterward to Colin, “I couldn’t stop myself. It just burst out because all at once I couldn’t help remembering that last big potato you ate and the way your mouth stretched when you bit through that thick lovely crust with jam and clotted cream on it.” “Is there any way in which those children can get food secretly?” Dr. Craven inquired of Mrs. Medlock. “There’s no way unless they dig it out of the earth or pick it off the trees,” Mrs. Medlock answered. “They stay out in the grounds all day and see no one but each other. And if they want anything different to eat from what’s sent up to them they need only ask for it.” “Well,” said Dr. Craven, “so long as going without food agrees with them we need not disturb ourselves. The boy is a new creature.” “So is the girl,” said Mrs. Medlock. “She’s begun to be downright pretty since she’s filled out and lost her ugly little sour look. Her hair’s grown thick and healthy looking and she’s got a bright color. The glummest, ill-natured little thing she used to be and now her and Master Colin laugh together like a pair of crazy young ones. Perhaps they’re growing fat on that.” “Perhaps they are,” said Dr. Craven. “Let them laugh.”
CHAPTER XXV THE CURTAIN And The Secret Garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles. In the robin’s nest there were Eggs and the robin’s mate sat upon them keeping them warm with her feathery little breast and careful wings. At first she was very nervous and the robin himselfwas indignantly watchful. Even Dickon did not go near the close-grown corner in those days, but waited until by the quiet working of some mysterious spell he seemed to have conveyed to the soul of the little pair that in the garden there was nothing which was not quite like themselves—nothing which did not understand the wonderfulness of what was happening to them—the immense, tender, terrible, heart-breaking beauty and solemnity of Eggs. If there had been one person in that garden who had not known through all his or her innermost being that if an Egg were taken away or hurt the whole world would whirl round and crash through space and come to an end—if there
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—14
had been even one who did not feel it and act accordingly there could have been no happiness even in that golden springtime air. But they all knew it and felt it and the robin and his mate knew they knew it. At first the robin watched Mary and Colin with sharp anxiety. For some mysterious reason he knew he need not watch Dickon. The first moment he set his dew-bright black eye on Dickon he knew he was not a stranger but a sort of robin without beak or feathers. He could speak robin (which is a quite distinct language not to be mistaken for any other). To speak robin to a robin is like speaking French to a Frenchman. Dickon always spoke it to the robin himself, so the queer gibberish he used when he spoke to humans did not matter in the least. The robin thought he spoke this gibberish to them because they were not intelligent enough to understand feathered speech. His movements also were robin. They never startled one by being sudden enough to seem dangerous or threatening. Any robin could understand Dickon, so his presence was not even disturbing. But at the outset it seemed necessary to be on guard against the other two. In the first place the boy creature did not come into the garden on his legs. He was pushed in on a thing with wheels and the skins of wild animals were thrown over him. That in itself was doubtful. Then when he began to stand up and move about he did it in a queer unaccustomed way and the others seemed to have to help him. The robin used to secrete himself in a bush and watch this anxiously, his head tilted first on one side and then on the other. He thought that the slow movements might mean that he was preparing to pounce, as cats do. When cats are preparing to pounce they creep over the ground very slowly. The robin talked this over with his mate a great deal for a few days but after that he decided not to speak of the subject because her terror was so great that he was afraid it might be injurious to the Eggs. When the boy began to walk by himself and even to move more quickly it was an immense relief. But for a long time—or it seemed a long time to the robin—he was a source of some anxiety. He did not act as the other humans did. He seemed very fond of walking but he had a way of sitting or lying down for a while and then getting up in a disconcerting manner to begin again. One day the robin remembered that when he himself had been made to learn to fly by his parents he had done much the same sort of thing. He had taken short flights of a few yards and then had been obliged to rest. So it occurred to him that this boy was learning to fly—or rather to walk. He mentioned this to his mate and when he told her that the Eggs would probably conduct themselves in the same way after they were fledged she was quite comforted and even became eagerly interested and derived great pleasure from watching the boy over the edge of her nest—though she always thought that the Eggs would be much cleverer and learn more quickly. But then she said indulgently that humans were always more clumsy and slow than Eggs and most of them never seemed really to learn to fly at all. You never met them in the air or on tree-tops. After a while the boy began to move about as the others did, but all three of the children at times did unusual things. They would stand under the trees and move their arms and legs and heads about in a way which was neither walking nor running nor sitting down. They went through these movements at intervals every day and the robin was never able to explain to his mate what they were doing or tying to do. He could only say that he was sure that the Eggs would never flap about in such a manner; but as the boy who could speak robin so fluently was doing the thing with them, birds could be quite sure that the actions were not of a dangerous nature. Of course neither
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—15
the robin nor his mate had ever heard of the champion wrestler, Bob Haworth, and his exercises for making the muscles stand out like lumps. Robins are not like human beings; their muscles are always exercised from the first and so they develop themselves in a natural manner. If you have to fly about to find every meal you eat, your muscles do not become atrophied (atrophied means wasted away through want of use). When the boy was walking and running about and digging and weeding like the others, the nest in the corner was brooded over by a great peace and content. Fears for the Eggs became things of the past. Knowing that your Eggs were as safe as if they were locked in a bank vault and the fact that you could watch so many curious things going on made setting a most entertaining occupation. On wet days the Eggs’ mother sometimes felt even a little dull because the children did not come into the garden. But even on wet days it could not be said that Mary and Colin were dull. One morning when the rain streamed down unceasingly and Colin was beginning to feel a little restive, as he was obliged to remain on his sofa because it was not safe to get up and walk about, Mary had an inspiration. “Now that I am a real boy,” Colin had said, “my legs and arms and all my body are so full of Magic that I can’t keep them still. They want to be doing things all the time. Do you know that when I waken in the morning, Mary, when it’s quite early and the birds are just shouting outside and everything seems just shouting for joy—even the trees and things we can’t really hear—I feel as if I must jump out of bed and shout myself. If I did it, just think what would happen!” Mary giggled inordinately. “The nurse would come running and Mrs. Medlock would come running and they would be sure you had gone crazy and they’d send for the doctor,” she said. Colin giggled himself. He could see how they would all look—how horrified by his outbreak and how amazed to see him standing upright. “I wish my father would come home,” he said. “I want to tell him myself. I’m always thinking about it—but we couldn’t go on like this much longer. I can’t stand lying still and pretending, and besides I look too different. I wish it wasn’t raining today.” It was then Mistress Mary had her inspiration. “Colin,” she began mysteriously, “do you know how many rooms there are in this house?” “About a thousand, I suppose,” he answered. “There’s about a hundred no one ever goes into,” said Mary. “And one rainy day I went and looked into ever so many of them. No one ever knew, though Mrs. Medlock nearly found me out. I lost my way when I was coming back and I stopped at the end of your corridor. That as the second time I heard you crying.” Colin started up on his sofa. “A hundred rooms no one goes into,” he said. “It sounds almost like a secret garden. Suppose we go and look at them. Wheel me in my chair and nobody would know we went”
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—16
“That’s what I was thinking,” said Mary. “No one would dare to follow us. There are galleries where you could run. We could do our exercises. There is a little Indian room where there is a cabinet full of ivory elephants. There are all sorts of rooms.” “Ring the bell,” said Colin. When the nurse came in he gave his orders. “I want my chair,” he said. “Miss Mary and I are going to look at the part of the house which is not used. John can push me as far as the picture-gallery because there are some stairs. Then he must go away and leave us alone until I send for him again.” Rainy days lost their terrors that morning. When the footman had wheeled the chair into the picture-gallery and left the two together in obedience to orders, Colin and Mary looked at each other delighted. As soon as Mary had made sure that John was really on his way back to his own quarters below stairs, Colin got out of his chair. “I am going to run from one end of the gallery to the other,” he said, “and then I am going to jump and then we will do Bob Haworth’s exercises.” And they did all these things and many others. They looked at the portraits and found the plain little girl dressed in green brocade and holding the parrot on her finger. “All these,” said Colin, “must be my relations. They lived a long time ago. That parrot one, I believe, is one of my great, great, great, great aunts. She looks rather like you, Mary—not as you look now but as you looked when you came here. Now you are a great deal fatter and better looking.” “So are you,” said Mary, and they both laughed. They went to the Indian room and amused themselves with the ivory elephants. They found the rose-colored brocade boudoir and the hole in the cushion the mouse had left, but the mice had grown up and run away and the hole was empty. They saw more rooms and made more discoveries than Mary had made on her first pilgrimage. They found new corridors and corners and flights of steps and new old pictures they liked and weird old things they did not know the use of. It was a curiously entertaining morning and the feeling of wandering about in the same house with other people but at the same time feeling as if one were miles away from them was a fascinating thing. “I’m glad we came,” Colin said. “I never knew I lived in such a big queer old place. I like it. We will ramble about every rainy day. We shall always be finding new queer corners and things.” That morning they had found among other things such good appetites that when they returned to Colin’s room it was not possible to send the luncheon away untouched. When the nurse carried the tray down-stairs she slapped it down on the kitchen dresser so that Mrs. Loomis, the cook, could see the highly polished dishes and plates. “Look at that!” she said. “This is a house of mystery, and those two children are the greatest mysteries in it.” “If they keep that up every day,” said the strong young footman John, “there’d be small wonder that he weighs twice as much to-day as he did a month ago. I should have to give up my place in time, for fear of doing my muscles an injury.” That afternoon Mary noticed that something new had happened in Colin’s room. She had noticed it the day before but had said nothing because she
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 28—17
thought the change might have been made by chance. She said nothing today but she sat and looked fixedly at the picture over the mantel. She could look at it because the curtain had been drawn aside. That was the change she noticed. “I know what you want me to tell you,” said Colin, after she had stared a few minutes. “I always know when you want me to tell you something. You are wondering why the curtain is drawn back. I am going to keep it like that.” “Why?” asked Mary. “Because it doesn’t make me angry any more to see her laughing. I wakened when it was bright moonlight two nights ago and felt as if the Magic was filling the room and making everything so splendid that I couldn’t lie still. I got up and looked out of the window. The room was quite light and there was a patch of moonlight on the curtain and somehow that made me go and pull the cord. She looked right down at me as if she were laughing because she was glad I was standing there. It made me like to look at her. I want to see her laughing like that all the time. I think she must have been a sort of Magic person perhaps.” “You are so like her now,” said Mary, “that sometimes I think perhaps you are her ghost made into a boy.” That idea seemed to impress Colin. He thought it over and then answered her slowly. “If I were her ghost--my father would be fond of me.” “Do you want him to be fond of you?” inquired Mary. “I used to hate it because he was not fond of me. If he grew fond of me I think I should tell him about the Magic. It might make him more cheerful.”
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—1
Lesson 29
Studying a Character The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Objective: The student will complete her critical reading of the novel The Secret Garden. The student will be able to write about changes that occurred in Mary during the course of the novel. Materials Needed: Writing journal, pictures of yourself (the teacher) from birth to present Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: What do you think will happen at the end of the novel? Why do you think this? Have there been any clues from the text that would lead you to this conclusion? Additional Notes to the Teacher: During this Lesson, the student will finish reading the novel. Ask the student to predict in the journal what she thinks will happen at the end of the novel. Have the student answer the Study Questions for Chapters Twenty- Six and Twenty-Seven. When the student has finished reading, display several pictures of yourself from birth to the present, showing how you have grown over the years. Ask the student to discuss some of the changes he or she can see in you throughout the years (particularly physical changes). Of course, the student cannot so easily see other types of changes that have occurred over the years such as mental and emotional changes. Explain to the student that Mary experienced many changes throughout the novel. The student should have noted these changes throughout the novel as he or she completed the Study Questions. Ask the student to choose one of the following activities to complete as The Secret Garden Assessment: Writing a one to two page paper summarizing and explaining the changes Mary experienced throughout the novel, physical and mental, noting the experiences or circumstances that caused these changes Creating a picture book illustrating the changes Mary experienced throughout the novel
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—2
Answers to Chapters Twenty-Six and Twenty-Seven Study Questions: What does Colin usually do in the morning? Why? He gives magic lectures to practice for when he grows up and lectures on his scientific discoveries. Why is Ben Weatherstaff so interested in watching Colin? What does Ben like to see? He is interested in watching his legs getting stronger everyday. What does Colin hope that his resemblance to his mother will do for him? Make his father like him. How does Dickon’s mother make Colin and Mary feel? Do you understand why? Comfortable; Answers will vary. What does Dickon’s mother reply when Colin says, “You are just what I—what I wanted. I wish you were my mother as well as Dickon’s”? That his own mother is in the garden. According to the author, what did people learn about thoughts in the century before the book was written? How can thoughts be used for good or ill? That a bad thought is dangerous as a disease in a person’s body, and that a good thought can bring about a world of change. What example does the author use to explain about thoughts? Thoughts are like batteries. What does the author suggest that a person should do when a disagreeable or discouraged thought comes into his mind? Get rid of them. What mysterious and wonderful experience does Mr. Craven feel at exactly the time that Colin cries out “I am going to live forever and ever and ever”? He feels as if he is alive again. Does this wonderful feeling last? How does Mr. Craven begin to change? No; He lets his dark thoughts come back into his mind. Who comes to Mr. Craven in his dream? Where does she say she is? Why do you think she says that? Lilias; In the garden; Answers will vary. After the dream Mr. Craven receives a letter from Dickon’s mother. What does she say to him? She tells him to come back home.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—3
What is Mr. Craven doing when he thinks that it is “too late” to relate differently with his son? He is on a train traveling back to Yorkshire. Why does Mr. Craven stop to visit Dickon’s mother before he goes home? He wants to see if she thinks he can help Colin. What does Mrs. Medlock tell Mr. Craven? Is it misleading? That Colin doesn’t look good; Yes. How do Mr. Craven and Colin meet? Is it the way Colin planned? Colin comes running to Mr. Craven as if he is in a race and lunges into his arms; Yes. How does Colin return to the house with his father? He walks back to the house next to his side. Describe positive changes in Mary. Answers will vary. Describe positive changes in Colin. Answers will vary. Describe positive changes in Mr. Craven. Answers will vary. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: If the student does not complete the final project at the end of the Lesson (the two-page paper or picture book) it is to be completed as homework. Lesson Wrap-Up: Describe a place you have seen that you think would be an ideal “secret garden”.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—1
Lesson 29
Studying a Character The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
What do you think will happen at the end of the novel? Why do you think this? Have there been any clues from the text that would lead you to this conclusion? You will look at photos of your teacher showing how a person changes over the years. After a discussion comparing what you have observed from the photos and what you have learned about Mary, you will finish reading the novel during this Lesson! Be sure to pay particular attention to how Mary has changed throughout the course of the novel. Once you have finished reading, answer the Study Questions for these final chapters.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—2
Chapters 26 and 27 Study Questions What does Colin usually do in the morning? Why?
Why is Ben Weatherstaff so interested in watching Colin? What does Ben like to see?
What does Colin hope that his resemblance to his mother will do for him?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—3
How does Dickon’s mother make Colin and Mary feel? Do you understand why?
What does Dickon’s mother reply when Colin says, “You are just what I—what I wanted. I wish you were my mother as well as Dickon’s”?
According to the author, what did people learn about thoughts in the century before the book was written? How can thoughts be used for good or ill?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—4
What example does the author use to explain about thoughts?
What does the author suggest that a person should do when a disagreeable or discouraged thought comes into his mind?
What mysterious and wonderful experience does Mr. Craven feel at exactly the time that Colin cries out “I am going to live forever and ever and ever”?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—5
Does this wonderful feeling last? How does Mr. Craven begin to change?
Who comes to Mr. Craven in his dream? Where does she say she is? Why do you think she says that?
After the dream Mr. Craven receives a letter from Dickon’s mother. What does she say to him?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—6
What is Mr. Craven doing when he thinks that it is “too late” to relate differently with his son?
Why does Mr. Craven stop to visit Dickon’s mother before he goes home?
What does Mrs. Medlock tell Mr. Craven? Is it misleading?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—7
How do Mr. Craven and Colin meet? Is it the way Colin planned?
How does Colin return to the house with his father?
Describe positive changes in Mary.
STUDENT MANUAL
Describe positive changes in Colin.
Describe positive changes in Mr. Craven.
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—8
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—3
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER XXVI “IT’S MOTHER!”
Their belief in the Magic was an abiding thing. After the morning’s incantations Colin sometimes gave them Magic lectures. “I like to do it,” he explained, “because when I grow up and make great scientific discoveries I shall be obliged to lecture about them and so this is practise. I can only give short lectures now because I am very young, and besides Ben Weatherstaff would feel as if he were in church and he would go to sleep.” “Th’ best thing about lecturin’,” said Ben, “is that a chap can get up an’ say aught he pleases an’ no other chap can answer him back. I wouldn’t be agen’ lecturin’ a bit mysel’ sometimes.” But when Colin held forth under his tree old Ben fixed devouring eyes on him and kept them there. He looked him over with critical affection. It was not so much the lecture which interested him as the legs which looked straighter and stronger each day, the boyish head which held itself up so well, the once sharp chin and hollow cheeks which had filled and rounded out and the eyes which had begun to hold the light he remembered in another pair. Sometimes when Colin felt Ben’s earnest gaze meant that he was much impressed he wondered what he was reflecting on and once when he had seemed quite entranced he questioned him. “What are you thinking about, Ben Weatherstaff?” he asked. “I was thinkin’” answered Ben, “as I’d warrant tha’s, gone up three or four pound this week. I was lookin’ at tha’ calves an’ tha’ shoulders. I’d like to get thee on a pair o’ scales.” “It’s the Magic and—and Mrs. Sowerby’s buns and milk and things,” said Colin. “You see the scientific experiment has succeeded.” That morning Dickon was too late to hear the lecture. When he came he was ruddy with running and his funny face looked more twinkling than usual. As they had a good deal of weeding to do after the rains they fell to work. They always had plenty to do after a warm deep sinking rain. The moisture which was good for the flowers was also good for the weeds which thrust up tiny blades of grass and points of leaves which must be pulled up before their roots took too firm hold. Colin was as good at weeding as any one in these days and he could lecture while he was doing it. “The Magic works best when you work, yourself,” he said this morning. “You can feel it in your bones and muscles. I am going to read books about bones and muscles, but I am going to write a book about Magic. I am making it up now. I keep finding out things.” It was not very long after he had said this that he laid down his trowel and stood up on his feet. He had been silent for several minutes and they had seen that he was thinking out lectures, as he often did. When he dropped his trowel and stood upright it seemed to Mary and Dickon as if a sudden strong thought had
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made him do it. He stretched himself out to his tallest height and he threw out his arms exultantly. Color glowed in his face and his strange eyes widened with joyfulness. All at once he had realized something to the full. “Mary! Dickon!” he cried. “Just look at me!” They stopped their weeding and looked at him. “Do you remember that first morning you brought me in here?” he demanded. Dickon was looking at him very hard. Being an animal charmer he could see more things than most people could and many of them were things he never talked about. He saw some of them now in this boy. “Aye, that we do,” he answered. Mary looked hard too, but she said nothing. “Just this minute,” said Colin, “all at once I remembered it myself—when I looked at my hand digging with the trowel—and I had to stand up on my feet to see if it was real. And it is real! I’m well—I’m well!” “Aye, that th’ art!” said Dickon. “I’m well! I’m well!” said Colin again, and his face went quite red all over. He had known it before in a way, he had hoped it and felt it and thought about it, but just at that minute something had rushed all through him—a sort of rapturous belief and realization and it had been so strong that he could not help calling out. “I shall live forever and ever and ever!” he cried grandly. “I shall find out thousands and thousands of things. I shall find out about people and creatures and everything that grows—like Dickon—and I shall never stop making Magic. I’m well! I’m well! I feel—I feel as if I want to shout sout something—something thankful, joyful!” Ben Weatherstaff, who had been working near a rose-bush, glanced round at him. “Tha’ might sing th’ Doxology,” he suggested in his dryest grunt. He had no opinion of the Doxology and he did not make the suggestion with any particular reverence. But Colin was of an exploring mind and he knew nothingabout the Doxology. “What is that?” he inquired. “Dickon can sing it for thee, I’ll warrant,” replied Ben Weatherstaff. Dickon answered with his all-perceiving animal charmer’s smile. “They sing it i’ church,” he said. “Mother says she believes th’ skylarks sings it when they gets up i’ th’ mornin’.” “If she says that, it must be a nice song,” Colin answered. “I’ve never been in a church myself. I was always too ill. Sing it, Dickon. I want to hear it.” Dickon was quite simple and unaffected about it. He understood what Colin felt better than Colin did himself. He understood by a sort of instinct so natural that he did not know it was understanding. He pulled off his cap and looked round still smiling. “Tha’ must take off tha’ cap,” he said to Colin,”an’ so mun tha’, Ben—an’ tha’ mun stand up, tha’ knows.” Colin took off his cap and the sun shone on and warmed his thick hair as he watched Dickon intently. Ben Weatherstaff scrambled up from his knees and bared his head too with a sort of puzzled half-resentful look on his old face as if he didn’t know exactly why he was doing this remarkable thing.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—5
Dickon stood out among the trees and rose-bushes and began to sing in quite a simple matterof-fact way and in a nice strong boy voice: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below, Praise Him above ye Heavenly Host, Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.” When he had finished, Ben Weatherstaff was standing quite still with his jaws set obstinately but with a disturbed look in his eyes fixed on Colin. Colin’s face was thoughtful and appreciative. “It is a very nice song,” he said. “I like it. Perhaps it means just what I mean when I want to shout out that I am thankful to the Magic.” He stopped and thought in a puzzled way. “Perhaps they are both the same thing. How can we know the exact names of everything? Sing it again, Dickon. Let us try, Mary. I want to sing it, too. It’s my song. How does it begin? `Praise God from whom all blessings flow’?” And they sang it again, and Mary and Colin lifted their voices as musically as they could and Dickon’s swelled quite loud and beautiful—and at the second line Ben Weatherstaff raspingly cleared his throat and at the third line he joined in with such vigor that it seemed almost savage and when the “Amen” came to an end Mary observed that the very same thing had happened to him which had happened when he found out that Colin was not a cripple—his chin was twitching and he was staring and winking and his leathery old cheeks were wet. “I never seed no sense in th’ Doxology afore,” he said hoarsely, “but I may change my mind i’ time. I should say tha’d gone up five pound this week Mester Colin—five on ‘em!” Colin was looking across the garden at something attracting his attention and his expression had become a startled one. “Who is coming in here?” he said quickly. “Who is it?” The door in the ivied wall had been pushed gently open and a woman had entered. She had come in with the last line of their song and she had stood still listening and looking at them. With the ivy behind her, the sunlight drifting through the trees and dappling her long blue cloak, and her nice fresh face smiling across the greenery she was rather like a softly colored illustration in one of Colin’s books. She had wonderful affectionate eyes which seemed to take everything in—all of them, even Ben Weatherstaff and the “creatures” and every flower that was in bloom. Unexpectedly as she had appeared, not one of them felt that she was an intruder at all. Dickon’s eyes lighted like lamps. “It’s mother—that’s who it is!” he cried and went across the grass at a run. Colin began to move toward her, too, and Mary went with him. They both felt their pulses beat faster. “It’s mother!” Dickon said again when they met halfway. “I knowed tha’ wanted to see her an’ I told her where th’ door was hid.” Colin held out his hand with a sort of flushed royal shyness but his eyes quite devoured her face. “Even when I was ill I wanted to see you,” he said, “you and Dickon and The Secret Garden.
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I’d never wanted to see any one or anything before.” The sight of his uplifted face brought about a sudden change in her own. She flushed and the corners of her mouth shook and a mist seemed to sweep over her eyes. “Eh! dear lad!” she broke out tremulously. “Eh! dear lad!” as if she had not known she were going to say it. She did not say, “Mester Colin,” but just “dear lad” quite suddenly. She might have said it to Dickon in the same way if she had seen something in his face which touched her. Colin liked it. “Are you surprised because I am so well?” he asked. She put her hand on his shoulder and smiled the mist out of her eyes. “Aye, that I am!” she said; “but tha’rt so like thy mother tha’ made my heart jump.” “Do you think,” said Colin a little awkwardly, “that will make my father like me?” “Aye, for sure, dear lad,” she answered and she gave his shoulder a soft quick pat. “He mun come home—he mun come home.” “Susan Sowerby,” said Ben Weatherstaff, getting close to her. “Look at th’ lad’s legs, wilt tha’? They was like drumsticks i’ stockin’ two month’ ago—an’ I heard folk tell as they was bandy an’ knock-kneed both at th’ same time. Look at ‘em now!” Susan Sowerby laughed a comfortable laugh. “They’re goin’ to be fine strong lad’s legs in a bit,” she said. “Let him go on playin’ an’ workin’ in the garden an’ eatin’ hearty an’ drinkin’ plenty o’ good sweet milk an’ there’ll not be a finer pair i’ Yorkshire, thank God for it.” She put both hands on Mistress Mary’s shoulders and looked her little face over in a motherly fashion. “An’ thee, too!” she said. “Tha’rt grown near as hearty as our ‘Lisabeth Ellen. I’ll warrant tha’rt like thy mother too. Our Martha told me as Mrs. Medlock heard she was a pretty woman. Tha’lt be like a blush rose when tha’ grows up, my little lass, bless thee.” She did not mention that when Martha came home on her “day out” and described the plain sallow child she had said that she had no confidence whatever in what Mrs. Medlock had heard. “It doesn’t stand to reason that a pretty woman could be th’ mother o’ such a fou’ little lass,” she had added obstinately. Mary had not had time to pay much attention to her changing face. She had only known that she looked “different” and seemed to have a great deal more hair and that it was growing very fast. But remembering her pleasure in looking at the Mem Sahib in the past she was glad to hear that she might some day look like her. Susan Sowerby went round their garden with them and was told the whole story of it and shown every bush and tree which had come alive. Colin walked on one side of her and Mary on the other. Each of them kept looking up at her comfortable rosy face, secretly curious about the delightful feeling she gave them—a sort of warm, supported feeling. It seemed as if she understood them as Dickon understood his “creatures.” She stooped over the flowers and talked about them as if they were children. Soot followed her and once or twice cawed at her and flew upon her shoulder as if it were Dickon’s. When they told her about the robin and the first flight of the young ones she laughed a motherly little mellow laugh in her throat.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—7
“I suppose learnin’ ‘em to fly is like learnin’ children to walk, but I’m feared I should be allin a worrit if mine had wings instead o’ legs,” she said. It was because she seemed such a wonderful woman in her nice moorland cottage way that at last she was told about the Magic. “Do you believe in Magic?” asked Colin after he had explained about Indian fakirs. “I do hope you do.” “That I do, lad,” she answered. “I never knowed it by that name but what does th’ name matter? I warrant they call it a different name i’ France an’ a different one i’ Germany. Th’ same thing as set th’ seeds swellin’ an’ th’ sun shinin’ made thee a well lad an’ it’s th’ Good Thing. It isn’t like us poor fools as think it matters if us is called out of our names. Th’ Big Good Thing doesn’t stop to worrit, bless thee. It goes on makin’ worlds by th’ million—worlds like us. Never thee stop believin’ in th’ Big Good Thing an’ knowin’ th’ world’s full of it—an’ call it what tha’ likes. Tha’ wert singin’ to it when I come into th’ garden.” “I felt so joyful,” said Colin, opening his beautiful strange eyes at her. “Suddenly I felt how different I was—how strong my arms and legs were, you know—and how I could dig and stand— and I jumped up and wanted to shout out something to anything that would listen.” “Th’ Magic listened when tha’ sung th’ Doxology. It would ha’ listened to anything tha’d sung. It was th’ joy that mattered. Eh! lad, lad—what’s names to th’ Joy Maker,” and she gave his shoulders a quick soft pat again. She had packed a basket which held a regular feast this morning, and when the hungry hour came and Dickon brought it out from its hiding place, she sat down with them under their tree and watched them devour their food, laughing and quite gloating over their appetites. She was full of fun and made them laugh at all sorts of odd things. She told them stories in broad Yorkshire and taught them new words. She laughed as if she could not help it when they told her of the increasing difficulty there was in pretending that Colin was still a fretful invalid. “You see we can’t help laughing nearly all the time when we are together,” explained Colin. “And it doesn’t sound ill at all. We try to choke it back but it will burst out and that sounds worse than ever.” “There’s one thing that comes into my mind so often,” said Mary, “and I can scarcely ever hold in when I think of it suddenly. I keep thinking suppose Colin’s face should get to look like a full moon. It isn’t like one yet but he gets a tiny bit fatter every day—and suppose some morning it should look like one—what should we do!” “Bless us all, I can see tha’ has a good bit o’ play actin’ to do,” said Susan Sowerby. “But tha’ won’t have to keep it up much longer. Mester Craven’ll come home.” “Do you think he will?” asked Colin. “Why?” Susan Sowerby chuckled softly. “I suppose it ‘ud nigh break thy heart if he found out before tha’ told him in tha’ own way,” she said. “Tha’s laid awake nights plannin’ it.” “I couldn’t bear any one else to tell him,” said Colin. “I think about different ways every day, I
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think now I just want to run into his room.” “That’d be a fine start for him,” said Susan Sowerby. “I’d like to see his face, lad. I would that! He mun come back—that he mun.” One of the things they talked of was the visit they were to make to her cottage. They planned it all. They were to drive over the moor and lunch out of doors among the heather. They would see all the twelve children and Dickon’s garden and would not come back until they were tired. Susan Sowerby got up at last to return to the house and Mrs. Medlock. It was time for Colin to be wheeled back also. But before he got into his chair he stood quite close to Susan and fixed his eyes on her with a kind of bewildered adoration and he suddenly caught hold of the fold of her blue cloak and held it fast. “You are just what I—what I wanted,” he said. “I wish you were my mother—as well as Dickon’s!” All at once Susan Sowerby bent down and drew him with her warm arms close against the bosom under the blue cloak—as if he had been Dickon’s brother. The quick mist swept over her eyes. “Eh! dear lad!” she said. “Thy own mother’s in this ‘ere very garden, I do believe. She couldna’ keep out of it. Thy father mun come back to thee—he mun!”
CHAPTER XXVII IN THE GARDEN In each century since the beginning of the world wonderful things have been discovered. In the last century more amazing things were found out than in any century before. In this new century hundreds of things still more astounding will be brought to light. At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done—then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago. One of the new things people began to find out in the last century was that thoughts—just mere thoughts—are as powerful as electric batteries—as good for one as sunlight is, or as bad for one as poison. To let a sad thought or a bad one get into your mind is as dangerous as letting a scarlet fever germ get into your body. If you let it stay there after it has got in you may never get over it as long as you live. So long as Mistress Mary’s mind was full of disagreeable thoughts about her dislikes and sour opinions of people and her determination not to be pleased by or interested in anything, she was a yellow-faced, sickly, bored and wretched child. Circumstances, however, were very kind to her, though she was not at all aware of it. They began to push her about for her own good. When her mind gradually filled itself with robins, and moorland cottages crowded with children, with queer crabbed old gardeners and common little Yorkshire housemaids, with springtime and with secret gardens coming alive day by day, and also with a moor boy and his “creatures,” there was no room left for the disagreeable thoughts which affected her liver and her digestion and made her yellow and tired. So long as Colin shut himself up in his room and thought only of his fears and weakness and his detestation of people who looked at him and reflected hourly on humps and early death, he was
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a hysterical half-crazy little hypochondriac who knew nothing of the sunshine and the spring and also did not know that he could get well and could stand upon his feet if he tried to do it. When new beautiful thoughts began to push out the old hideous ones, life began to come back to him, his blood ran healthily through his veins and strength poured into him like a flood. His scientific experiment was quite practical and simple and there was nothing weird about it at all. Much more surprising things can happen to any one who, when a disagreeable or discouraged thought comes into his mind, just has the sense to remember in time and push it out by putting in an agreeable determinedly courageous one. Two things cannot be in one place. “Where, you tend a rose, my lad, A thistle cannot grow.” While The Secret Garden was coming alive and two children were coming alive with it, there was a man wandering about certain far-away beautiful places in the Norwegian fiords and the valleys and mountains of Switzerland and he was a man who for ten years had kept his mind filled with dark and heart-broken thinking. He had not been courageous; he had never tried to put any other thoughts in the place of the dark ones. He had wandered by blue lakes and thought them; he had lain on mountain-sides with sheets of deep blue gentians blooming all about him and flower breaths filling all the air and he had thought them. A terrible sorrow had fallen upon him when he had been happy and he had let his soul fill itself with blackness and had refused obstinately to allow any rift of light to pierce through. He had forgotten and deserted his home and his duties. When he traveled about, darkness so brooded over him that the sight of him was a wrong done to other people because it was as if he poisoned the air about him with gloom. Most strangers thought he must be either half mad or a man with some hidden crime on his soul. He, was a tall man with a drawn face and crooked shoulders and the name he always entered on hotel registers was, “Archibald Craven, Misselthwaite Manor, Yorkshire, England.” He had traveled far and wide since the day he saw Mistress Mary in his study and told her she might have her “bit of earth.” He had been in the most beautiful places in Europe, though he had remained nowhere more than a few days. He had chosen the quietest and remotest spots. He had been on the tops of mountains whose heads were in the clouds and had looked down on other mountains when the sun rose and touched them with such light as made it seem as if the world were just being born. But the light had never seemed to touch himself until one day when he realized that for the first time in ten years a strange thing had happened. He was in a wonderful valley in the Austrian Tyrol and he had been walking alone through such beauty as might have lifted, any man’s soul out of shadow. He had walked a long way and it had not lifted his. But at last he had felt tired and had thrown himself down to rest on a carpet of moss by a stream. It was a clear little stream which ran quite merrily along on its narrow way through the luscious damp greenness. Sometimes it made a sound rather like very low laughter as it bubbled over and round stones. He saw birds come and dip their heads to drink in it and then flick their wings and fly away. It seemed like a thing alive and yet its tiny voice made the stillness seem deeper. The valley was very, very still. As he sat gazing into the clear running of the water, Archibald Craven gradually felt his mind and body both grow quiet, as quiet as the valley itself. He wondered if he were going to sleep, but he was not. He sat and gazed at the sunlit water and his eyes began to see things growing at
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its edge. There was one lovely mass of blue forget-me-nots growing so close to the stream that its leaves were wet and at these he found himself looking as he remembered he had looked at such things years ago. He was actually thinking tenderly how lovely it was and what wonders of blue its hundreds of little blossoms were. He did not know that just that simple thought was slowly filling his mind—filling and filling it until other things were softly pushed aside. It was as if a sweet clear spring had begun to rise in a stagnant pool and had risen and risen until at last it swept the dark water away. But of course he did not think of this himself. He only knew that the valley seemed to grow quieter and quieter as he sat and stared at the bright delicate blueness. He did not know how long he sat there or what was happening to him, but at last he moved as if he were awakening and he got up slowly and stood on the moss carpet, drawing a long, deep, soft breath and wondering at himself. Something seemed to have been unbound and released in him, very quietly. “What is it?” he said, almost in a whisper, and he passed his hand over his forehead. “I almost feel as if—I were alive!” I do not know enough about the wonderfulness of undiscovered things to be able to explain how this had happened to him. Neither does any one else yet. He did not understand at all himself—but he remembered this strange hour months afterward when he was at Misselthwaite again and he found out quite by accident that on this very day Colin had cried out as he went into The Secret Garden: “I am going to live forever and ever and ever!” The singular calmness remained with him the rest of the evening and he slept a new reposeful sleep; but it was not with him very long. He did not know that it could be kept. By the next night he had opened the doors wide to his dark thoughts and they had come trooping and rushing back. He left the valley and went on his wandering way again. But, strange as it seemed to him, there were minutes—sometimes half-hours—when, without his knowing why, the black burden seemed to lift itself again and he knew he was a living man and not a dead one. Slowly—slowly—for no reason that he knew of—he was “coming alive” with the garden. As the golden summer changed into the deep golden autumn he went to the Lake of Como. There he found the loveliness of a dream. He spent his days upon the crystal blueness of the lake or he walked back into the soft thick verdure of the hills and tramped until he was tired so that he might sleep. But by this time he had begun to sleep better, he knew, and his dreams had ceased to be a terror to him. “Perhaps,” he thought, “my body is growing stronger.” It was growing stronger but—because of the rare peaceful hours when his thoughts were changed—his soul was slowly growing stronger, too. He began to think of Misselthwaite and wonder if he should not go home. Now and then he wondered vaguely about his boy and asked himself what he should feel when he went and stood by the carved four-posted bed again and looked down at the sharply chiseled ivory-white face while it slept and, the black lashes rimmed so startlingly the close-shut eyes. He shrank from it.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—11
One marvel of a day he had walked so far that when he returned the moon was high and full and all the world was purple shadow and silver. The stillness of lake and shore and wood was so wonderful that he did not go into the villa he lived in. He walked down to a little bowered terrace at the water’s edge and sat upon a seat and breathed in all the heavenly scents of the night. He felt the strange calmness stealing over him and it grew deeper and deeper until he fell asleep. He did not know when he fell asleep and when he began to dream; his dream was so real that he did not feel as if he were dreaming. He remembered afterward how intensely wide awake and alert he had thought he was. He thought that as he sat and breathed in the scent of the late roses and listened to the lapping of the water at his feet he heard a voice calling. It was sweet and clear and happy and far away. It seemed very far, but he heard it as distinctly as if it had been at his very side. “Archie! Archie! Archie!” it said, and then again, sweeter and clearer than before, “Archie! Archie!” He thought he sprang to his feet not even startled. It was such a real voice and it seemed so natural that he should hear it. Lilias! Lilias!” he answered. “Lilias! where are you?” “In the garden,” it came back like a sound from a golden flute. “In the garden!” And then the dream ended. But he did not awaken. He slept soundly and sweetly all through the lovely night. When he did awake at last it was brilliant morning and a servant was standing staring at him. He was an Italian servant and was accustomed, as all the servants of the villa were, to accepting without question any strange thing his foreign master might do. No one ever knew when he would go out or come in or where he would choose to sleep or if he would roam about the garden or lie in the boat on the lake all night. The man held a salver with some letters on it and he waited quietly until Mr. Craven took them. When he had gone away Mr. Craven sat a few moments holding them in his hand and looking at the lake. His strange calm was still upon him and something more—a lightness as if the cruel thing which had been done had not happened as he thought—as if something had changed. He was remembering the dream—the real—real dream. “In the garden!” he said, wondering at himself. “In the garden! But the door is locked and the key is buried deep.” When he glanced at the letters a few minutes later he saw that the one lying at the top of the rest was an English letter and came from Yorkshire. It was directed in a plain woman’s hand but it was not a hand he knew. He opened it, scarcely thinking of the writer, but the first words attracted his attention at once. “Dear Sir: I am Susan Sowerby that made bold to speak to you once on the moor. It was about Miss Mary I spoke. I will make bold to speak again. Please, sir, I would come home if I was you. I think you would be glad to come and—if you will excuse me, sir—I think your lady would ask you to come if she was here. Your obedient servant, Susan Sowerby.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—12
Mr. Craven read the letter twice before he put it back in its envelope. He kept thinking about the dream. “I will go back to Misselthwaite,” he said. “Yes, I’ll go at once.” And he went through the garden to the villa and ordered Pitcher to prepare for his return to England. In a few days he was in Yorkshire again, and on his long railroad journey he found himself thinking of his boy as he had never thought in all the ten years past. During those years he had only wished to forget him. Now, though he did not intend to think about him, memories of him constantly drifted into his mind. He remembered the black days when he had raved like a madman because the child was alive and the mother was dead. He had refused to see it, and when he had gone to look at it at last it had been, such a weak wretched thing that everyone had been sure it would die in a few days. But to the surprise of those who took care of it the days passed and it lived and then everyone believed it would be a deformed and crippled creature. He had not meant to be a bad father, but he had not felt like a father at all. He had supplied doctors and nurses and luxuries, but he had shrunk from the mere thought of the boy and had buried himself in his own misery. The first time after a year’s absence he returned to Misselthwaite and the small miserable looking thing languidly and indifferently lifted to his face the great gray eyes with black lashes round them, so like and yet so horribly unlike the happy eyes he had adored, he could not bear the sight of them and turned away pale as death. After that he scarcely ever saw him except when he was asleep, and all he knew of him was that he was a confirmed invalid, with a vicious, hysterical, half-insane temper. He could only be kept from furies dangerous to himself by being given his own way in every detail. All this was not an uplifting thing to recall, but as the train whirled him through mountain passes and golden plains the man who was “coming alive” began to think in a new way and he thought long and steadily and deeply. “Perhaps I have been all wrong for ten years,” he said to himself. “Ten years is a long time. It may be too late to do anything—quite too late. What have I been thinking of!” Of course this was the wrong Magic—to begin by saying “too late.” Even Colin could have told him that. But he knew nothing of Magic—either black or white. This he had yet to learn. He wondered if Susan Sowerby had taken courage and written to him only because the motherly creature had realized that the boy was much worse—was fatally ill. If he had not been under the spell of the curious calmness which had taken possession of him he could have been more wretched than ever. But the calm had brought a sort of courage and hope with it. Instead of giving way to thoughts of the worst he actually found he was trying to believe in better things. “Could it be possible that she sees that I may be able to do him good and control him?” he thought. “I will go and see her on my way to Misselthwaite.” But when on his way across the moor he stopped the carriage at the cottage, seven or eight children who were playing about gathered in a group and bobbing seven or eight friendly and polite curtsies told him that their mother had gone to the other side of the moor early in the morning to help a woman who had a new baby. “Our Dickon,” they volunteered, was over at the Manor working in one of the gardens where he went several days each week.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—13
Mr. Craven looked over the collection of sturdy little bodies and round red-cheeked faces, each one grinning in its own particular way, and he awoke to the fact that they were a healthy likable lot. He smiled at their friendly grins and took a golden sovereign from his pocket and gave it to “our ‘Lizabeth Ellen” who was the oldest. “If you divide that into eight parts there will be half a crown for each of, you,” he said. Then amid grins and chuckles and bobbing of curtsies he drove away, leaving ecstasy and nudging elbows and little jumps of joy behind. The drive across the wonderfulness of the moor was a soothing thing. Why did it seem to give him a sense of homecoming which he had been sure he could never feel again—that sense of the beauty of land and sky and purple bloom of distance and a warming of the heart at drawing, nearer to the great old house which had held those of his blood for six hundred years? How he had driven away from it the last time, shuddering to think of its closed rooms and the boy lying in the fourposted bed with the brocaded hangings. Was it possible that perhaps he might find him changed a little for the better and that he might overcome his shrinking from him? How real that dream had been—how wonderful and clear the voice which called back to him, “In the garden—In the garden!” “I will try to find the key,” he said. “I will try to open the door. I must—though I don’t know why.” When he arrived at the Manor the servants who received him with the usual ceremony noticed that he looked better and that he did not go to the remote rooms where he usually lived attended by Pitcher. He went into the library and sent for Mrs. Medlock. She came to him somewhat excited and curious and flustered. “How is Master Colin, Medlock?” he inquired. “Well, sir,” Mrs. Medlock answered, “he’s—he’s different, in a manner of speaking.” “Worse?” he suggested. Mrs. Medlock really was flushed. “Well, you see, sir,” she tried to explain, “neither Dr. Craven, nor the nurse, nor me can exactly make him out.” “Why is that?” “To tell the truth, sir, Master Colin might be better and he might be changing for the worse. His appetite, sir, is past understanding—and his ways—” “Has he become more—more peculiar?” her master, asked, knitting his brows anxiously. “That’s it, sir. He’s growing very peculiar—when you compare him with what he used to be. He used to eat nothing and then suddenly he began to eat something enormous—and then he stopped again all at once and the meals were sent back just as they used to be. You never knew, sir, perhaps, that out of doors he never would let himself be taken. The things we’ve gone through to get him to go out in his chair would leave a body trembling like a leaf. He’d throw himself into such a state that Dr. Craven said he couldn’t be responsible for forcing him. Well, sir, just without warning— not long after one of his worst tantrums he suddenly insisted on being taken out every day by Miss Mary and Susan Sowerby’s boy Dickon that could push his chair. He took a fancy to both Miss
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—14
Mary and Dickon, and Dickon brought his tame animals, and, if you’ll credit it, sir, out of doors he will stay from morning until night.” “How does he look?” was the next question. “If he took his food natural, sir, you’d think he was putting on flesh—but we’re afraid it may be a sort of bloat. He laughs sometimes in a queer way when he’s alone with Miss Mary. He never used to laugh at all. Dr. Craven is coming to see you at once, if you’ll allow him. He never was as puzzled in his life.” “Where is Master Colin now?” Mr. Craven asked. “In the garden, sir. He’s always in the garden—though not a human creature is allowed to go near for fear they’ll look at him.” Mr. Craven scarcely heard her last words. “In the garden,” he said, and after he had sent Mrs. Medlock away he stood and repeated it again and again. “In the garden!” He had to make an effort to bring himself back to the place he was standing in and when he felt he was on earth again he turned and went out of the room. He took his way, as Mary had done, through the door in the shrubbery and among the laurels and the fountain beds. The fountain was playing now and was encircled by beds of brilliant autumn flowers. He crossed the lawn and turned into the Long Walk by the ivied walls. He did not walk quickly, but slowly, and his eyes were on the path. He felt as if he were being drawn back to the place he had so long forsaken, and he did not know why. As he drew near to it his step became still more slow. He knew where the door was even though the ivy hung thick over it—but he did not know exactly where it lay—that buried key. So he stopped and stood still, looking about him, and almost the moment after he had paused he started and listened—asking himself if he were walking in a dream. The ivy hung thick over the door, the key was buried under the shrubs, no human being had passed that portal for ten lonely years—and yet inside the garden there were sounds. They were the sounds of running scuffling feet seeming to chase round and round under the trees, they were strange sounds of lowered suppressed voices—exclamations and smothered joyous cries. It seemed actually like the laughter of young things, the uncontrollable laughter of children who were trying not to be heard but who in a moment or so—as their excitement mounted—would burst forth. What in heaven’s name was he dreaming of—what in heaven’s name did he hear? Was he losing his reason and thinking he heard things which were not for human ears? Was it that the far clear voice had meant? And then the moment came, the uncontrollable moment when the sounds forgot to hush themselves. The feet ran faster and faster—they were nearing the garden door—there was quick strong young breathing and a wild outbreak of laughing shows which could not be contained—and the door in the wall was flung wide open, the sheet of ivy swinging back, and a boy burst through it at full speed and, without seeing the outsider, dashed almost into his arms. Mr. Craven had extended them just in time to save him from falling as a result of his unseeing dash against him, and when he held him away to look at him in amazement at his being there he truly gasped for breath.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—15
He was a tall boy and a handsome one. He was glowing with life and his running had sent splendid color leaping to his face. He threw the thick hair back from his forehead and lifted a pair of strange gray eyes—eyes full of boyish laughter and rimmed with black lashes like a fringe. It was the eyes which made Mr. Craven gasp for breath. “Who—What? Who!” he stammered. This was not what Colin had expected—this was not what he had planned. He had never thought of such a meeting. And yet to come dashing out— winning a race—perhaps it was even better. He drew himself up to his very tallest. Mary, who had been running with him and had dashed through the door too, believed that he managed to make himself look taller than he had ever looked before—inches taller. “Father,” he said, “I’m Colin. You can’t believe it. I scarcely can myself. I’m Colin.” Like Mrs. Medlock, he did not understand what his father meant when he said hurriedly: “In the garden! In the garden!” “Yes,” hurried on Colin. “It was the garden that did it—and Mary and Dickon and the creatures— and the Magic. No one knows. We kept it to tell you when you came. I’m well, I can beat Mary in a race. I’m going to be an athlete.” He said it all so like a healthy boy—his face flushed, his words tumbling over each other in his eagerness—that Mr. Craven’s soul shook with unbelieving joy. Colin put out his hand and laid it on his father’s arm. “Aren’t you glad, Father?” he ended. “Aren’t you glad? I’m going to live forever and ever and ever!” Mr. Craven put his hands on both the boy’s shoulders and held him still. He knew he dared not even try to speak for a moment. “Take me into the garden, my boy,” he said at last. “And tell me all about it.” And so they led him in. The place was a wilderness of autumn gold and purple and violet blue and flaming scarlet and on every side were sheaves of late lilies standing together—lilies which were white or white and ruby. He remembered well when the first of them had been planted that just at this season of the year their late glories should reveal themselves. Late roses climbed and hung and clustered and the sunshine deepening the hue of the yellowing trees made one feel that one, stood in an embowered temple of gold. The newcomer stood silent just as the children had done when they came into its grayness. He looked round and round. “I thought it would be dead,” he said.” “Mary thought so at first,” said Colin. “But it came alive.” Then they sat down under their tree— all but Colin, who wanted to stand while he told the story. It was the strangest thing he had ever heard, Archibald Craven thought, as it was poured forth in headlong boy fashion. Mystery and Magic and wild creatures, the weird midnight meeting—the coming of the spring—the passion of insulted pride which had dragged the young Rajah to his feet to defy old Ben Weatherstaff to his face. The odd companionship, the play acting, the great secret so carefully kept. The listener laughed until tears came into his eyes and sometimes tears came into his
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 29—16
eyes when he was not laughing. The Athlete, the Lecturer, the Scientific Discoverer was a laughable, lovable, healthy young human thing. “Now,” he said at the end of the story, “it need not be a secret any more. I dare say it will frighten them nearly into fits when they see me—but I am never going to get into the chair again. I shall walk back with you, Father—to the house.” Ben Weatherstaff ’s duties rarely took him away from the gardens, but on this occasion he made an excuse to carry some vegetables to the kitchen and being invited into the servants’hall by Mrs. Medlock to drink a glass of beer he was on the spot—as he had hoped to be—when the most dramatic event Misselthwaite Manor had seen during the present generation actually took place. One of the windows looking upon the courtyard gave also a glimpse of the lawn. Mrs. Medlock, knowing Ben had come from the gardens, hoped that he might have caught sight of his master and even by chance of his meeting with Master Colin. “Did you see either of them, Weatherstaff?” she asked. Ben took his beer-mug from his mouth and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “Aye, that I did,” he answered with a shrewdly significant air. “Both of them?” suggested Mrs. Medlock. “Both of ‘em,” returned Ben Weatherstaff. “Thank ye kindly, ma’am, I could sup up another mug of it.” “Together?” said Mrs. Medlock, hastily overfilling his beer-mug in her excitement. Together, ma’am,” and Ben gulped down half of his new mug at one gulp. “Where was Master Colin? How did he look? What did they say to each other?” “I didna’ hear that,” said Ben, “along o’ only bein’ on th’ stepladder lookin, over th’ wall. But I’ll tell thee this. There’s been things goin’ on outside as you house people knows nowt about. An’ what tha’ll find out tha’ll find out soon.” And it was not two minutes before he swallowed the last of his beer and waved his mug solemnly toward the window which took in through the shrubbery a piece of the lawn. “Look there,” he said, “if tha’s curious. Look what’s comin’ across th’ grass.” When Mrs. Medlock looked she threw up her hands and gave a little shriek and every man and woman servant within hearing bolted across the servants’ hall and stood looking through the window with their eyes almost starting out of their heads. Across the lawn came the Master of Misselthwaite and he looked as many of them had never seen him. And by his, side with his head up in the air and his eyes full of laughter walked as strongly and steadily as any boy in Yorkshire—Master Colin. The End
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 30—1
Lesson 30
The Secret Garden Movie
Objective: The student will watch the film version of the novel The Secret Garden and compare and contrast it to the book he has completed reading. Materials Needed: Journal, DVD or VCR, video or DVD of The Secret Garden video as presented by Hallmark Hall of Fame Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: What do you think the movie of The Secret Garden will be like? How will it be the same or different from the book? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This movie is about 100 minutes long, and so this Lesson should be divided among two class periods. Have the student write a prediction of how similar the movie of The Secret Garden will be to the book in the journal. Screen the Hallmark Hall of Fame version of the novel over two class periods and answer any questions or lead the student in a discussion as questions arise. The assessment activity for this movie will be given during Lesson 31. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to discuss any questions he may have about the movie so far.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 30—1
Lesson 30
The Secret Garden Movie
Write in your journal how you think the movie The Secret Garden will start. In other words, what do you think will be the opening scene? How do you think the movie will be the same or different from the book? For the next two class periods, you will view the film version of the novel. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss any questions you have about the movie so far.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 31—1
Lesson 31 (Continuation of Lesson 30) The Secret Garden Movie
Objective: The student will be able to experience a cinematic representation of the novel The Secret Garden and compare and contrast it to the book they have completed reading. Materials Needed: DVD or VCR, Video or DVD of The Secret Garden as presented by Hallmark Hall of Fame, Map of the world, Internet access Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: What do you think the movie of The Secret Garden will be like? How do you think it will differ from the book? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will continue viewing the Hallmark Hall of Fame version of the novel and answer questions. You may also pause the movie at a certain point to answer any questions that student may have jotted down as instructed in this Lesson. The assessment for this Lesson will be writing a one to two page movie review of The Secret Garden. The student should explain in the paper what he liked about the movie and why, and what he disliked about the movie and why. The student should also discuss ways in which the movie differed from the book by giving details and examples. Included in the discussion should be the student’s opinion, supported by examples, on whether the movie or the book best expressed his understanding of the theme. Explain to the student that during Lesson 32 there will be a test on The Secret Garden. Give the student the study questions to review and complete. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: The student could be assigned the Study Questions to prepare for the text given in the next Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Engage the student in a discussion by asking him if he were the director of The Secret Garden movie, what is one thing he would have changed? Why?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 31—1
Lesson 31 (Continuation of Lesson 30) The Secret Garden Movie
What do you think the movie of The Secret Garden will be like? How do you think it will differ from the book? For today’s Lesson, you will continue viewing the Hallmark Hall of Fame version of the novel. If you have questions, jot down questions as they arise while you’re watching the movie. Ask your teacher as the action progresses. Once you have finished the movie, you will write a one to two page movie review of The Secret Garden. Explain in the paper what you liked about the movie and why, as well as what you disliked about the movie and why. Discuss ways in which the movie differed from the book by giving details and examples. Included in your discussion should be your opinion, supported by examples, on whether the movie or the book best expressed the author’s purpose and theme. In the next Lesson you will be taking a test over The Secret Garden. Your teacher will instruct you on how to do a search of study questions, in order to take practice quizzes online to prepare for the assessment. Lesson Wrap-Up: If you were the director of The Secret Garden movie, what is the most important thing you would have changed? Why?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 32—1
Lesson 32
The Secret Garden Assessment
Objective: The student will be able to summarize, retell, and compare and contrast ideas in the text of The Secret Garden. Materials Needed: Writing journal Engage: Engaging Question: Why do you think a film version of a story is sometimes different from the book? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin by asking the student to respond in her journal about how she feels about the movie version of The Secret Garden in comparison to the book. Ask the student if there are any last minute questions she would like answered to prepare for the test. The test is to assess the student’s understanding of the book.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 32—2
The Secret Garden Assessment Part 1: Write the best answer to the questions. 1. Why did Mary move in the beginning of the story? Her parents died 2. From what country did Mary move? India 3. To what country did Mary move? England 4. What is the moor? Describe it. A prairie land filled with hills covered in grasses and flowers 5. What is special about Dickon? He charms animals, he is quiet and trustworthy, and animals trust him 6. How did Mary find the key? The robin showed her where it was 7. Where was the door? In the wall which was covered in ivy 8. How did Ben Weatherstaff react to Mary at first? He did not like her 9. How did Mary treat people in the beginning of the story? She was rude and mean Part 2: Put the following events in order (first, second, third) by writing the letter of the event on the correct line. a. Mary finds the garden. b. Mary finds Colin. c. Mary removes leaves from around the plant shoots d. Martha’s mother gives Mary a jump rope. e. Colin can walk. f. Mary meets Dickon. g. Mary’s uncle returns. h. Colin and Mary get in a fight. i. Mary goes on a train with Mrs. Medlock. j. Colin’s mother dies.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 32—3
1. J 2. I 3. D 4. A 5. C 6. F 7. B 8. H 9. E 10. G Part 3: Write the best answer to the following questions. 1. Predict what would have happened to Colin if Mary had not found him. Answers will vary but should insinuate that he would have continued to stay in bed or even died. 2. What were three of the results of Mary finding The Secret Garden? Answers will vary Part 4: What literary terms/forms are used in the following sentences? Circle the correct answer. 1. Ben Weatherstaff is a bear towards strangers. metaphor/symbolism 2. Mary crept through the hallways as quiet as mouse. simile/personification 3. The changing seasons represented the garden and the children. personification/ symbolism 4. The trees waved and smiled at the children in the garden. personification/metaphor Part 5: Choose which character you are the most like and explain your answer. Answers will vary Part 6: Write a paragraph in which you compare and contrast the movie version to the book version of the story. What are the similarities and differences between the two different versions? Which one better presents the overall theme of the story and why? Answers will vary
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 32—1
Lesson 32
The Secret Garden Assessment
To test your knowledge of The Secret Garden, complete the following Assessment. Part 1: Write the best answer to the questions. 1. Why did Mary move in the beginning of the story?
2. From what country did Mary move?
3. To what country did Mary move?
STUDENT MANUAL
4. What is the moor? Describe it.
5. What is special about Dickon?
6. How did Mary find the key?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 32—2
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 32—3
7. Where was the door?
8. How did Ben Weatherstaff react to Mary at first?
9. How did Mary treat people in the beginning of the story?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 32—4
Part 2: Put the following events in order (first, second, third) by writing the letter of the event on the correct line. a. Mary finds the garden. b. Mary finds Colin. c. Mary removes leaves from around the plant shoots d. Martha’s mother gives Mary a jump rope. e. Colin can walk. f. Mary meets Dickon. g. Mary’s uncle returns. h. Colin and Mary get in a fight. i. Mary goes on a train with Mrs. Medlock. j. Colin’s mother dies. 1. _____ 2. _____ 3. _____ 4. _____ 5. _____ 6. _____ 7. _____ 8. _____ 9. _____ 10. _____
Part 3: Write the best answer to the following questions. 1. Predict what would have happened to Colin if Mary had not found him.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 32—5
2. What were three of the results of Mary finding The Secret Garden?
Part 4: What literary terms/forms are used in the following sentences? Circle the correct answer. 1. Ben Weatherstaff is a bear towards strangers. metaphor/symbolism 2. Mary crept through the hallways as quiet as mouse. simile/personification 3. The changing seasons represented the garden and the children. personification/symbolism 4. The trees waved and smiled at the children in the garden. personification/metaphor
Part 5: Choose which character you are the most like and explain your answer.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 32—6
Part 6: Write a paragraph in which you compare and contrast the movie version to the book version of the story. What are the similarities and differences between the two different versions? Which one better presents the overall theme of the story and why?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 33—1
Lesson 33
Compare and Contrast
Objective: The student will understand the meaning and purpose of comparing and contrasting two elements. Key Vocabulary: Compare, Contrast Engage: Engaging Question: Think of the top five movies you’d like to own on DVD. If you had a $20 DVD gift card, how would you compare and contrast your top 5 picks in order to decide which and how many of them you could buy for $20? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, provide him with two objects to examine to understand the meaning of the words “compare” and “contrast.” Explain that, technically, “comparing” is looking at both similarities and differences. But it is also contrasting, whereas contrasting is only looking at the differences. For, example, if the student was shopping for a new cell phone, he would look for similar features in various phones, (compare) as well as different features in each of them (contrast.) Create this two-column chart on the board while the student creates the same chart so that he can brainstorm characteristics of each object. Example: Characteristics of a book Hard or soft cover Filled with words, phrases, and sentences Sometimes includes pictures Focused on one story Story can be fiction or real
Characteristics of a newspaper Large piece of paper Filled with short news articles Includes pictures Many stories are included Stories are about real life events
Discuss with the student what it means to compare or contrast two items. Refer to examples from the chart created to look at similarities and differences between the two objects. Example: Similarities—Pictures can be included, real stories, filled with words Differences—Focus on one story versus many, a book story can be fiction Have the student brainstorm a list of things that are compared and contrasted in everyday life. Introduce the Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer. Explain that this type of graphic organizer can be used to construct a compare/contrast essay of two specific topics.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 33—2
The student should then choose a topic from the brainstormed list earlier in this Lesson in which the student listed things in everyday life that can be compared and contrasted. The student should complete the Graphic Organizer based on two different places, people, or things. For example, if the student chose restaurants as the topic, the student should then choose two different restaurants to compare and contrast. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student choose a topic from the brainstormed list earlier in this Lesson in which he listed things in everyday life that could be compared and contrasted. The student is to complete the graphic organizer based on two different places, people, or things. For example, if he chose restaurants as the topic, he should choose two different restaurants to compare and contrast.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 33—1
Lesson 33
Compare and Contrast
Think of the top five movies you’d like to own on DVD. If you had a $20 DVD gift card, how would you compare and contrast your top 5 picks in order to decide which and how many of them you could buy for $20? In this Lesson, we are going to learn the meaning of compare and contrast. To practice this, let’s compare and contrast a book with a newspaper. Create a chart to compare these two items similar to the one your teacher creates. Look at examples from the chart to look at similarities and differences between the two items. Qualities that are similar can be compared. Qualities that are different can be contrasted. Brainstorm a list of things that are compared and contrasted in everyday life. Examine the Compare and Contrast Organizer your teacher will show you. This type of graphic organizer can be used to construct a compare/contrast essay of two specific topics. Lesson Wrap-Up: Choose a topic from the brainstormed list earlier in this Lesson in which you listed things in everyday life that could be compared and contrasted. Complete the graphic organizer based on two different places, people, or things. For example, if you chose restaurants as the topic, choose two different restaurants to compare and contrast.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 33—2
Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer Item 1 How are they alike?
How are they different?
Item 2
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 34—1
Lesson 34
Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay
Objective: The student will learn how to construct a Compare and Contrast Essay. Engage: Engaging Question: Why are comparing and contrasting useful when studying literature? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Introduce why compare and contrast essay writing is useful. When you compare things, you show their similarities; when you contrast things, you show their differences. This is useful because it develops analytical thinking skills, which can be utilized in all learning situations. Define the different ways to write a comparison and contrast essay: Type 1: First compare, then contrast (or vice versa). Writers using a compare/contrast structure might begin by discussing the ways in which hamburgers are similar to cheeseburgers. Then they move to a description of the ways in which the two ideas are different. This method is probably the one most commonly used. I. II. III. IV.
Introduction Hamburgers and cheeseburgers are similar. Hamburgers and cheeseburgers are different. Conclusion
For the purpose of this Lesson, we will only focus on the first type of compare and contrast writing. Explain that today the student is going to practice writing an essay based on the graphic organizer from yesterday. The student should set the essay up in the following way: I. Paragraph One This is your introduction. In this introduction, you should do the following: Introduce the items or ideas to be compared and contrasted. Give background information on both of the items or ideas. Include your thesis statement. The last sentence of the paragraph is your thesis. A thesis is a statement that indicates the direction of your paper as well as your position on the topic. II. Paragraph Two This is your first body paragraph. In this paragraph you should explain in detail the similarities between the two items or ideas. Give many examples.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 34—2
III. Paragraph Three This is your second body paragraph. In this paragraph you should include differences between the two items or ideas, giving much detail and many examples. IV. Paragraph Four This is your conclusion. In the conclusion you should restate your thesis, summarize your thoughts, and allude to important ideas expressed in your essay. Instruct the student to construct a four-paragraph compare and contrast essay based on the graphic organizer created in Lesson 33. If the student is unable to complete the essay during class time it is to be finished as homework. Advance Preparation or Homework: If the student is unable to complete the essay during class time it is to be finished as homework.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 34—1
Lesson 34
Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay
In Lesson 33, you learned how to compare and contrast two different items. In this Lesson, you will learn how to write a Compare and Contrast essay. There are four different techniques for constructing a compare/contrast essay: First compare, then contrast; First write about one topic, then write about the other; Write only about the comparable and contrastable elements of each idea; Only compare or only contrast. Listen as your teacher explains each technique. Your assignment will be to write a comparison/contrast essay based on the method of first compare, then contrast. Use the graphic organizer you learned about in Lesson 33. Set up your essay in the following way: Paragraph One This is your introduction. In this introduction you should do the following: Introduce the items or ideas to be compared and contrasted. Give background information on both of the items or ideas. Include a sentence stating your position. Example:
Many people have a desire to work with children and choose their profession because of this strong desire. There are several different career paths one may choose when deciding to enter a career in education. The two main teaching degrees sought by future educators are elementary and secondary education. Elementary teachers primarily teach students in grades K–6, whereas secondary teachers instruct students in grades 7–12. Although the training and pay scales are often similar, there are many differences between these two levels of teaching including the job requirements, hours worked, and amount of students a teacher is responsible for in the classroom. The last sentence of the paragraph is your thesis. A thesis is a statement that indicates the direction of your paper as well as your position on the topic. Paragraph Two This is your first body paragraph. In this paragraph you should explain in detail the similarities between your two items or ideas. Give many examples. Example:
Because elementary and secondary teachers must both attend college, the training these two careers involve is very similar. A teacher seeking a job in either of these professions must obtain a Bachelor’s degree from an approved college or university, meeting a certain grade point average, while completing a student teaching program successfully. Both types of teachers must also become
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 34—2
licensed and certified in their particular state by successfully completing the required state exams. It usually does not matter what level of teaching a person decides to pursue in order to be started on a particular pay scale. Most school districts begin a teacher on step 1, regardless of the level of school he or she teaches. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, but overall, education, training, and pay are very similar for both elementary and secondary teachers. Paragraph Three This is your second body paragraph. In this paragraph you should include differences between the two items or ideas, giving much detail and many examples. Example:
Although the pay scale and training requirements are similar for elementary and secondary teachers, there are also several differences. Job requirements differ much between the two levels, as elementary teachers are required to teach all subjects to their students they have in their classroom, while secondary teachers specialize in one subject area that they teach and usually only have to teach one or two different classes. The hours required of these two types are often different as secondary teachers sometimes put in many more hours of extra-curricular responsibilities such as coaching or sponsoring a club or organization. Finally, the amount of students an elementary teacher is responsible for is far less than a secondary teacher as an elementary teacher usually only has 30 students, the same 30, in his or her classroom all day, while a secondary teacher teaches many sections or hours of his or her class, therefore often bringing the student count well above 100 students. Paragraph Four This is your conclusion. In the conclusion you should restate your position, summarize your thoughts, and allude to important ideas expressed in your essay. Example:
While there are many similarities and differences between elementary and secondary teaching, the ultimate responsibility of both types of teachers is to make sure each student leaves the classroom having learned the content taught and feeling successful. Even though secondary teachers often have many more students and longer work hours than elementary teachers, they only teach one subject area, instead of the full load of subjects an elementary teacher must be trained to teach. Ultimately, even though there are differences, those pursuing a career in education would say that it is the most important and rewarding career one could ever decide to do. Now you are ready to construct a four-paragraph comparison and contrast essay based on the graphic organizer created in Lesson 33. If you are unable to complete the essay during the provided time, it is to be finished at home. Lesson Wrap-Up: Take a look at your thesis statement. Does it clearly represent the ideas you are trying to get across in your paper? If not, work with your teacher to create a stronger more accurate thesis to set the tone of your essay.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 35—1
Lesson 35
Using a Venn Diagram for Organization
Objective: The student will use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two characters from the novel The Secret Garden. Materials Needed: Computer access Engage: Engaging Question: In addition to the Graphic Organizer, what other type of organizational tool (that you have already learned about) could be helpful when comparing and contrasting? Would it be more, less or equally as helpful as the Graphic Organizer? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will begin this Lesson by responding to the Engaging Question in their journal. Today, the student will use a second tool that can be used to construct a compare and contrast essay—the Venn Diagram. We have used this tool several times already throughout the year. A Venn Diagram consists of two overlapping circles as seen in the picture. In the overlapping portion of the two circles, the similarities between the two items are listed. In the other portion of the first circle, the characteristics of the first item which are different from those of the second item are explained. In the other portion of the second circle, the characteristics of the second item which are different from those of the first item are explained.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 35—2
For example, in the picture below, the red portion represents characteristics of insects that are not characteristics of spiders. Items in the yellow section are characteristics of spiders which are not characteristics of insects, and in the orange section, there are characteristics common to both insects and spiders.
Characteristics Characteristics of Insects of Spiders that are not that are not Characteristics of Characteristics of Common Spiders Insects Characteristics
Ask the student to choose two different food items and practice using a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two food items. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student choose one of the following pairs of characters from The Secret Garden and create a Venn Diagram listing as many characteristics and traits that are similar and different in the pair chosen: Mary and Colin Colin and Dickon Dickon and Mary
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 35—1
Lesson 35
Using a Venn Diagram for Organization
In addition to the Graphic Organizer, what other type of organizational tool (that you have already learned about) could be helpful when comparing and contrasting? Would it be more, less or equally as helpful as the Graphic Organizer? In today’s Lesson, you will learn how to use a second tool to aid in constructing a compare and contrast essay. It is called a Venn Diagram. A Venn Diagram consists of two overlapping circles as seen in the picture. In the overlapping portion of the circle, the similarities between the items are listed. In the other portion of the first circle, the characteristics of the first item which are different from those of the second item are explained. In the other portion of the second circle, the characteristics of the second item, which are different from those of the first item are explained. For example, in the picture below the red portion represents the characteristics of insects that are not characteristics of spiders. Items in the yellow portion are characteristics of spiders which are not characteristics of insects, and in the orange section, there are characteristics that are common to both insects and spiders.
Characteristics Characteristics of Insects of Spiders that are not that are not Characteristics of Characteristics of Common Spiders Insects Characteristics
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 35—2
Use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast two food items to practice using this tool.
Lesson Wrap-Up: Choose one of the following pairs of characters from The Secret Garden and create a Venn Diagram listing as many characteristics and traits that are similar and different in the pair chosen: Mary and Colin Colin and Dickon Dickon and Mary
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 36—1
Lesson 36
Comparing and Contrasting Two Characters from The Secret Garden
Objective: The student will be able to use the writing process effectively to construct an essay comparing and contrasting two characters from the novel The Secret Garden. Materials Needed: Completed Venn Diagrams from Lesson 35 Literary Selection: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: Describe a time in your life when you have used comparison or contrast skills. If you cannot think of one, think of a real life situation where it would be necessary. Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will begin today’s Lesson by responding in the journal to the Engaging Question in at least five complete sentences. The student will use the class period to construct a written comparison and contrast essay following the guidelines on the Assignment Sheet included. Be sure to refer to the rubric you will use to grade the student’s essay prior to the student beginning the essay. The Secret Garden Comparison / Contrast Essay—Assignment Sheet Using your Venn Diagram from Lesson 35, choose one of the following character sets to compare and contrast in an essay: Mary and Colin Colin and Dickon Mary and Dickon The essay must follow the four paragraph format discussed in Lesson 34. Use of the text to support your claims is welcome, but make sure to quote passages from the novel correctly. Grading on the essay will be based on the attached rubric.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 36—2
Comparison and Contrast Essay Rubric Category Organization
Level 3 (Proficient) Introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion are included with great detail and are written following the guidelines given. Details are given in a logical order.
Topic Focus
Grammar and Spelling
Capitalization and Punctuation
Transitions are used appropriately to connect ideas. The paper maintains focus on the two topics being compared and contrasted.
Level 2 (Partially proficient) Introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion need more structure… some do not follow the given guidelines.
Level 1 (Needs work) One or more of the required components is not included.
More details are needed to support the ideas.
Transitions do not exist in the paper.
Transitions should be reworked. The main idea is clear, but more supporting information is needed.
The main idea stands out and is supported with detailed information. No grammar or The writer makes a spelling errors occur. few grammar and spelling errors. No capitalization or punctuation errors occur.
Details are lacking or not included at all
The writer makes a few capitalization and punctuation errors.
There is not a clear main idea. The paper seems to be constructed of several unrelated ideas.
Many grammar and spelling errors are made throughout the paper. Many capitalization and punctuation errors are made throughout the paper.
Lesson Wrap-Up: Remind the student to read over his essay carefully and be sure that it fits the necessary qualifications as specified in the rubric.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 36—1
Lesson 36
Comparing and Contrasting Two Characters from The Secret Garden
Describe a time in your life when you have used comparison or contrast skills. If you cannot think of one, think of a real life situation where it would be necessary. In this Lesson you will demonstrate your ability to compare and contrast two similar objects effectively. Refer to the Venn Diagram you created in Lesson 35, when you compared and contrasted two characters from The Secret Garden. For today’s Lesson you will write an essay comparing the two characters using the four-paragraph format you learned in Lesson 34. Use of the text to support your claims is welcome, but be sure to quote passages from the text correctly. Your essay will be graded using the rubric your teacher provides.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 36—2
Comparison and Contrast Essay Rubric Category Organization
Level 3 (Proficient) Introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion are included with great detail and are written following the guidelines given. Details are given in a logical order.
Topic Focus
Grammar and Spelling
Capitalization and Punctuation
Transitions are used appropriately to connect ideas. The paper maintains focus on the two topics being compared and contrasted.
Level 2 (Partially proficient) Introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion need more structure… some do not follow the given guidelines.
Level 1 (Needs work) One or more of the required components is not included.
More details are needed to support the ideas.
Transitions do not exist in the paper.
Transitions should be reworked. The main idea is clear, but more supporting information is needed.
The main idea stands out and is supported with detailed information. No grammar or The writer makes a spelling errors occur. few grammar and spelling errors. No capitalization or punctuation errors occur.
Details are lacking or not included at all
The writer makes a few capitalization and punctuation errors.
There is not a clear main idea. The paper seems to be constructed of several unrelated ideas.
Many grammar and spelling errors are made throughout the paper. Many capitalization and punctuation errors are made throughout the paper.
Lesson Wrap-Up: Read over your essay carefully and be sure that it fits the necessary qualifications as specified in the rubric.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 37—1
Lesson 37
Formally Preparing a Compare and Contrast Essay
Objective: The student will formally prepare and type the Compare and Contrast essay written in the previous Lesson Materials Needed: Venn Diagrams from Lesson 35, copies of written essay from Lesson 36. Literary Selections: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Engage: Engaging Question: How would you compare and contrast your writing skills with your speaking skills? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will begin today’s Lesson by responding in their journal to the Engaging Question in at least five complete sentences. The student will then use the class period to type the comparison and contrast essay she wrote during Lesson 36 following the guidelines on the Assignment Sheet in Lesson 36. Typing the essay at this stage will make it easier to read during the Peer Editing process, which will be the assignment in Lesson 40.
Lesson Wrap Up: Ask the student to self-assess her essay now that it is typed and to consider how it will fare during the Peer Editing process.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 37—1
Lesson 37
Formally Preparing a Compare and Contrast Essay
In this Lesson, you will type the essay you wrote in Lesson 36. Be sure to follow the guidelines on the Assignment Sheet. Once you have completed typing your essay, save it for Lesson 40, when you will participate in the Peer Editing process. Lesson Wrap Up: How do you feel about your essay now that it is typed? Do you feel it is ready for the Peer Editing Process? What are some of the key areas you hope that your “peer” focuses on when reviewing your paper?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 38—1
Lesson 38
Revising and Editing
Objective: The student will be introduced to the per editing process for evaluating writing. Key Vocabulary: Peer, Editing Materials Needed: Writing journal, Compare and contrast essay from Lesson 37 Engage: Engaging Question: What are some weaknesses in your writing? What do you feel you could improve upon and strengthen as you grow as a writer? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Today, the student will be learning how to use revision and editing skills to create a polished piece of writing. Ask the student to brainstorm what he thinks peer editing means and what he feels the positive and negative aspects of this process might be. Lead a discussion about these ideas. Ask the student to take out a piece of paper and write a response to the following prompt silently. Give the student only five minutes to respond: It is the last day of school and you are ready to begin your summer vacation. Write a story illustrating the first few things you will do as you go home for this long-awaited break. Collect the student’s response after five minutes. Read a response aloud to model the peer editing process. Explain that when peer editing, the student should complete the following steps: Step 1: Give compliments—It is important to give your peers praise for something you liked about their papers. Step 2: Give suggestions—It is important to be specific and give suggestions for making the paper better. Pay particular attention to areas included on the rubric. Step 3: Make corrections—It is helpful to the writer to make corrections in any spelling or grammatical errors that you find when you are peer editing. Ask the student to write compliments for the response on a sheet of paper. Then ask the student to give suggestions for improvement. Finally, ask the student to make spelling or grammatical corrections. The student should give at least two responses for each step. Read two more student responses and have the student repeat the peer editing process. Note: You may also choose to write a response yourself and use this response to model the peer editing process above.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 38—2
Advance Preparation or Homework Required: Write two or three example responses to the writing prompt in this Lesson; bring them to class to read or exchange with a student while practicing peer review. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student: “Which of the three steps was the easiest to complete? Which was the most difficult?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 38—1
Lesson 38
Revising and Editing
What are some weaknesses in your writing? What do you feel you could improve upon and strengthen as you grow as a writer? In this Lesson you will learn how to use revision and editing skills to create a polished piece of writing. Begin by brainstorming what peer editing means and what you think will be the positive and negative aspects of this process might be. Respond in writing to the following prompt: It is the last day of school and you are ready to begin your summer vacation. Write a story detailing the first few things you will do as you go home for the long awaited break. You will have five minutes to write your response. Use this piece of writing to practice the peer editing process. There are three steps in the process. Step 1: Give compliments—It is important to give your peers praise for something you liked about their papers. Step 2: Give suggestions—It is important to be specific and make suggestions to make the paper better. Pay particular attention to areas included on the rubric. Step 3: Make corrections—It is helpful to the writer to make corrections in any spelling or grammatical errors that you find when you are peer editing. Exchange papers with another student or with your teacher. First, write complements about the writing piece on a sheet of paper. Then write suggestions for improvement. Think of what could really push the piece to make it better. Finally, make spelling and grammatical corrections. Be sure to give at least two responses for each step. Lesson Wrap-Up: Which of the three steps was the easiest to complete? Which was the most difficult?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 39—1
Lesson 39
Peer Editing Practice
Objective: The student will practice the steps in the peer editing process. Materials Needed: Writing journal, pencil, paper, copies of comparison and contrast essays from Lesson 37, two student writing samples Engage: Engaging Question: Why do you think that peer editing difficult or uncomfortable for some students? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin today’s Lesson by asking the student to write an entry in her Writing journal explaining what he feels is the most difficult part of the peer editing step-by-step procedure and why. Review and model the peer editing steps covered in Lesson 38 by presenting a sample piece of student writing on the board or an overhead. Ask each student to complete the three steps based on this piece of writing. You may choose to use a piece of writing you have created, or you may want to search the Internet to find a sample piece of writing. Remind the student, that she should have two responses to each of the three steps of the peer editing process (give compliments, give suggestions, make corrections). Distribute a new sample piece of writing to the student and have the student read the piece of writing silently and practice the peer editing process once more. Ask the student to share the critique of the sample piece of writing, being able to explain why she gave the comments and suggestions given. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: Find or prepare a suitable piece of writing for the student to review the peer editing steps. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to orally explain the compliments, suggestions, and corrections she made.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 39—1
Lesson 39
Peer Editing Practice
Why do you think that peer editing difficult or uncomfortable for some students? A critical part of the writing process is revision and editing. In this Lesson, you will get more practice in the peering editing process. This will help your skills and also the skills of your peers as you gain experience in this process. Your teacher will give you a new sample of writing. You are to edit the piece of writing using the peer editing process. Let’s review the process. First, give compliments. Second, give written suggestions for improvement. Third, correct spelling and grammatical errors. Lesson Wrap-Up: Explain to your teacher the compliments, suggestions, and corrections you made.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 40—1
Lesson 40
Peer Evaluation and Editing
Objective: The student will be able to evaluate, edit, and self-edit formally prepared written works. Materials Needed: Pencil, paper, copies of comparison and contrast essays from Lesson 36 Engage: Engaging Question: Why is peer editing important? Do you think that one aspect of peer editing more important than the others? Why? Additional Notes to the Teacher: You will work with the student to complete the three-step peer editing process of comparison and contrast essays. If necessary or desired, the student may choose to have more than one person (parent, sibling, friend, etc…) complete the editing process. After peer evaluation is complete, give the student time to revise and edit her paper using the peer suggestions. Ask the student to retype the paper making all corrections and improvements. The compare and contrast essay will be graded according to the rubric included in the previous Lessons. Lesson Wrap-Up: Allow time for the student to type a copy of the essay making all corrections and improvements.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 40—1
Lesson 40
Peer Evaluation and Editing
Why is peer editing important? Is one aspect of peer editing more important than the others? Why? In this Lesson you will work with your teacher and other students, if possible, to complete the three-step peer editing process for the comparison and contrast essay. Step 1: Give compliments—It is important to give your peers praise for something you liked about their papers. Step 2: Give suggestions—It is important to be specific and make suggestions to make the paper better. Pay particular attention to areas included on the rubric. Step 3: Make corrections—It is helpful to the writer to make corrections in any spelling or grammatical errors that you find when you are peer editing. When your paper has completed the peer editing process, revise and edit it again yourself. Look for any improvements you could make that would further enhance the paper. Finally, type a copy of the essay making all corrections and improvements. Lesson Wrap-Up: Finally, type a copy of the essay making all corrections and improvements.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 41—1
Lesson 41 Grammar—Part I: The Parts of a Sentence Objective: The student will be introduced to grammar and the parts of a sentence as the first of several aspects of grammar that will be emphasized throughout this course. Key Vocabulary: Grammar, Noun, Common noun, Proper noun, Singular noun, Plural noun, Possessive noun, Subject, Predicate Materials needed: Writing Journal Engage: Engaging Question: Are you familiar with the phrases “bad grammar” and “good grammar”? Do you think people react differently to those who use “improper” grammar versus those who use “proper” grammar? How would you describe the difference between the two? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Grammar Lesson is the lead in to the next several Lessons in which the student will be learning the parts of a sentence in great detail. Over the next several Lessons, the student will be introduced to several major components of grammar including nouns and verbs. They will learn the different types of nouns and how they function in a sentence, as well as the different types of verbs and their various functions. Since these grammar Lessons are longer and require more review and practice in class, they do not include readings. To give the student a quick warm-up, say each of these aloud; tell the student to write down each word or term in his Writing Journal and circle it if he can define it. Make sure the student keeps this page, and refers to it throughout the course; tell him to periodically review it during future Grammar Lessons, and circle each term as he learns it.
Nouns Common nouns Proper nouns Singular nouns Plural nouns Possessive nouns
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 41—2
Verbs Action verb Linking verb Helping verb Irregular verb Direct and Indirect objects Principle Parts of a Verb Present Past Present participle Past participle Verb Tenses Present Past Future Present perfect Past perfect Future perfect Resume with introducing complete subjects and predicates by reminding the student that a sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. Go through the Lesson content with the student; read the following aloud: “An example of a group of words is: black dog outside The barks All five of these words in this order do not make sense, but if you place the words in a specific order to express a complete thought, you will form a sentence that communicates an understandable idea. There are two basic parts of a sentence, the complete subject and predicate. 1) The complete subject of a sentence includes all of the words that tell whom or what the sentence is about. 2) The complete predicate of a sentence includes the verb and all the words that tell anything about the verb. In the sentence The black dog barks outside, the complete subject is “the black dog” because those are the words that tell what the sentence is about. The complete predicate is “barks outside” because barks is the word showing action and outside tells where the dog completes this action.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 41—3
Say these examples aloud to the student and see if he can identify the subject in each: EX. The boy went to the store. EX. People at the pool swam all day. EX. The fence around the yard was painted white. Answers: The boy, People, and The fence around the yard. Do the same with these examples; help the student identify the complete predicates in these examples: EX. The tiny fish in the sea swam to safety. EX. Her wedding day was the happiest day of her life. EX. The teacher read the class a story before naptime. Answers: swam to safety, was the happiest day of her life, and read the class a story before naptime. Review all of the material in this lesson n a similar manner. Then assign the Complete Subjects and Predicates Practice Sheet. Complete Subjects and Complete Predicates Practice Sheet Answer Key: (The slash marks the division between the complete subject and the completed predicate.) Stress / appears to inhibit my sister’s ability to study at night. Amy’s anger that she has for her mom / seems to cause her bad mood. She / has refused to pick up her room and clean her closet. The security guard / was strong but very quiet as he watched the students. His personality / was very friendly and happy-go-lucky. Some students / worried that their exams would be too difficult. Hundreds of volunteers / helped build the new house for the needy family. The movie plot / failed to excite the audience. The two brothers / walked down the street to visit their grandmother.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 41—1
People / said the storm caused their power to go out for hours last night. I / am just going to be patient and wait for the right opportunity to come. He / is quiet and does not answer questions in class. Lesson Wrap-up: Before assigning the Subject and Predicate Practice Sheet, have the student write an incomplete sentence, then write it as a complete sentence in his Writing Journal.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 41—2
Lesson 41 Grammar—Part I: The Parts of a Sentence Over the next several Lessons, you will be introduced and reintroduced to several major components of grammar, starting with the parts of a sentence, then resume with different types of nouns and how they function in a sentence, as well as the different types of verbs and their various functions. But first, your teacher is going to give you the chance to recall what you may already know about the grammar concepts and elements that you will be reviewing or learning. As your teacher says a word or term aloud, write it down in your Writing Journal and circle it if you are certain you know what it is or means. An Overview of Grammar Grammar is the study of how words and their component parts form sentences. It is the structural relationship of the language spoken or written, the set of rules that give the principles for how sentences can be constructed. When thinking about grammar, you may be overwhelmed to think about all of the rules and guidelines there are to learn. Once you understand how important using proper grammar is when writing and speaking, learning the rules will come much easier to you, and your skills will naturally develop. There are many facets to grammar study. This course focuses on the fundamentals. Once you have mastered them, you will find the more sophisticated aspects of grammar much easier to understand. Nouns A noun is a word defining a person, place, thing, or idea. There are many different types of nouns that we will discuss in the next several Lessons. These are listed below: Common nouns Proper nouns Singular nouns Plural nouns Possessive nouns Verbs Coupled with nouns are verbs, which are words showing an action or state of being in a sentence. We will discuss many aspects of verbs throughout the grammar Lessons including:
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 41—2
Types of Verbs Action verb Linking verb Helping verb Irregular verb Direct and Indirect objects Principle Parts of a Verb Present Past Present participle Past participle Verb Tenses Present Past Future Present perfect Past perfect Future perfect Complete Subjects and Predicates What are the parts of a sentence? Do you know the names for each of these parts? Understanding the purpose and effect of how you structure and phrase your sentences has an impact on how well you communicate and interact with others in all situations. In other words, in order to communicate effectively, a person must be able to compose complete sentences when speaking and writing. What is a sentence? A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. An example of a group of words is: black dog outside The barks All five of these words in this order do not make sense, but if you place the words in a specific order to express a complete thought, you will form a sentence that communicates an understandable idea. There are two basic parts of a sentence, the complete subject and predicate. 1) The complete subject of a sentence includes all of the words that tell whom or what the sentence is about. 2) The complete predicate of a sentence includes the verb and all the words that tell anything about the verb.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 41—3
In the sentence The black dog barks outside, the complete subject is “the black dog” because those are the words that tell what the sentence is about. The complete predicate is “barks outside” because barks is the word showing action and outside tells where the dog completes this action. Now, we will look at the steps involved in choosing a complete subject and predicate. To find the complete subject, ask yourself who or what is doing something or is something in the sentence. To find the complete predicate, ask yourself what it is that the subject is doing or does. Look at the following sentences to determine the complete subject: EX. The boy went to the store. EX. People at the pool swam all day. EX. The fence around the yard was painted white. Look at the following sentences to determine the complete predicate of each sentence. EX. The tiny fish in the sea swam to safety. EX. Her wedding day was the happiest day of her life. EX. The teacher read the class a story before naptime. Complete the “Complete Subjects and Predicates” practice sheet to be sure that you fully understand how to identify the complete subject and the complete predicate. Lesson Wrap-up: In your Writing Journal, write an incomplete sentence, then rewrite it as a complete sentence.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 41—4
Complete Subjects and Predicates Practice Directions: In each sentence, put a slash (/) between the complete subject and the complete predicate. Stress appears to inhibit my sister’s ability to study at night. Amy’s anger that she has for her mom seems to cause her bad mood.
She has refused pick up her room and clean her closet.
The security guard was strong but very quiet as he watched the students.
His personality was very friendly and happy-go-lucky.
Some students worried that their exams would be too difficult.
Hundreds of volunteers helped build the new house for the needy family.
The movie plot failed to excite the audience.
The two brothers walked down the street to visit their grandmother.
People said the storm caused their power to go out for hours last night.
I am just going to be patient and wait for the right opportunity to come.
He is quiet and does not answer questions in class.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 42—1
Lesson 42 Simple Subjects Objective: The student will be able to identify and use simple subjects in writing. Key Vocabulary: Simple subject Engage: Engaging Question: What do you think simple subject means? What could make a subject simple? Use your imagination to give some examples. Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will focus on the complete subject. Every complete subject has one key part which is called the simple subject. The simple subject is the main word or words in the complete subject. Any words that are descriptive are not a part of the simple subject. Help the student identify the simple subject in each of these examples: The balmy weather outside caused many to go indoors for the day. The stuffed toys on the shelf shine beautiful shadows at night. A group of angry people attended the business meeting. Answers: The simple subjects in the practice exercises are weather, animals, and people. Simple Subjects Practice Sheet Answer Key: Part 1 Airplane Stores Attitude Hunting Climber I Colon Road Man Teachers Pizza Restaurant Part 2 Answers will vary. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review the student’s answers to the Simple Subjects Practice Sheet with your teacher.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 42—2
Lesson 42 Simple Subjects In the last Lesson you learned that a sentence has two major components: the complete subject and the complete predicate. Today, we will focus on the complete subject. Every complete subject has one key part which is called the simple subject. The simple subject is the main word or words in the complete subject. Any words that are descriptive are not a part of the simple subject. The simple subject must be one of the following: A noun (ex. The tree grows daily.) A proper noun (ex. Mrs. Smith teaches sixth grade.) A pronoun (ex. She has great grades.) A word functioning as a noun (ex. Running requires much endurance.) There are several important things to remember about simple subjects: When using a proper noun as a simple subject, the entire name is used as the subject. A simple subject cannot be a possessive noun as in the sentence Mark’s coat is blue. The simple subject in this sentence would be coat because the word Mark’s describes the coat. Look at the following example sentences to determine the simple subject in each sentence. EX. The balmy weather outside caused many to go indoors for the day. EX. The stuffed animals on the shelf look real. EX. A group of angry people attended the business meeting. Now complete the Simple Subjects Practice. This will give you confidence that you can correctly identify the simple subject of a sentence. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review your answers to the Simple Subjects Practice Sheet with your teacher. How did you do?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 42—3
Simple Subjects Practice Sheet Part 1: Underline the simple subject in each sentence. The large airplane held almost 300 passengers. The mall’s stores appeal to all kinds of people who are looking for clothes, toys, and shoes. His attitude about math was poor. Illegal hunting must be controlled for native animals to survive. The climber used his hands to climb the rock wall. I don’t think there is going to be a storm tonight. The colon is used in a sentence when a series or list is included. A long road links Smith, Lake, and Shore boulevards in the city. The man has repeatedly called about the loud neighbors next door. Many teachers require their students to write in complete sentences. A pizza is composed of dough, sauce, cheese, and other toppings. The restaurant will accommodate patrons who want to sit in secluded booths.
Part 2: Write a subject to complete each sentence. Underline the simple subject. expects to leave his job in about two years. has threatened to give a test tomorrow if the students act up. directed the play. thinks winning a football game is the most important thing. uses a black marker when she grades papers. came from a poor family and grew up in a run-down section of the city. built a fence to keep the dogs in the yard. refused to admit defeat at the battle.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 43—1
Lesson 43 Simple Predicates Objective: The student will be able to identify and use simple predicates in writing. Key Vocabulary: Simple predicate, verb Engage: Engaging Question: Thinking of what the word link means- what might a linking verb be? Knowing what the word action implies, what might this mean an action verb is? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will examine the simple predicate of a sentence, which is the main word or words in the complete predicate. The simple predicate is also often called the verb. A verb is a word that shows action, a condition, or a state of being. The simple predicates in the examples are went, arrived, and are respectively. Go through the Examples in this Lesson with the student, then assign the Simple Predicates Practice activity. Simple Predicates Practice Answer Key: Provides Require Provide Got Was Was Has Hope Is Was Causes Had Lesson Wrap-Up: Review the student’s answers to the Simple Predicates Practice in class.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 43—1
Lesson 43 Simple Predicates Thinking of what the word link means- what might a linking verb be? Knowing what the word action implies, what might this mean an action verb is? In the last Lesson you learned how to differentiate the simple subject from the complete subject in a sentence. In this Lesson, we will examine the simple predicate of a sentence, which is the main word or words in the complete predicate. The simple predicate is also often called the verb. A verb is a word that shows action, a condition, or a state of being. There are two different types of verbs: Linking verb—This is a verb that tells what the subject is. Action verb—This is a verb that tells what the subject does, even if the action cannot be seen. Examine the following examples to practice identifying the simple predicate in each sentence. EX. The go-cart ride went extremely fast. EX. The president of the company arrived to monitor the progress of the company. EX. Roller coasters are exciting to ride. Now complete the Simple Predicates Practice. This will give you the assurance that you can accurately find the simple predicate in a sentence. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review your answers to the Simple Predicates Practice with your teacher.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 43—2
Simple Predicates Practice Directions: Underline the simple predicate in each sentence.
Public transportation in the city provides workers with a quick, cheap way to work.
Flowers require moist, well-watered, rich soil.
Families taking vacations provide much of the money to several states’ economies.
Julie and Jane got into an argument about who would be first in line.
My mother was an only child.
My father was one of three sons.
He has a bruised elbow.
The students hope that all the studying they have done will payoff on today’s test.
The mountain is so high that it is snowing in the mountains and raining on the ground.
It was quite an honor to meet the president of the company I worked for.
Playing sports inappropriately causes injuries.
Our landlord had to ask our neighbors to move out.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 44—1
Lesson 44
Verb Phrases
Objective: The student will be able to identify and use verb phrases in writing. Key Vocabulary: Verb phrase Engage: Engaging Question: What could a verb phrase possibly be? Can you make an educated guess? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about verb phrases. The Lesson will examine the difference between a main verb and a helping verb. Ask the student to write down an educated guess of the definition of a verb phrase. Then, explain that when these two types of verbs—a main verb and a helping verb—are paired, they create verb phrases. Review the Examples in this Lesson; give the student time to provide the answers to each Example. A handsome prince was looking for his princess. [was looking] The carpenter’s daughter should have told her dad about her problems at school. [should have told] The classroom’s walls will be painted over the summer. [will be painted] Assign the Verb Phrases Practice Sheet.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 44—2
Verb Phrases Practice Sheet Answer Key: Helping Verb(s) could be may was were will will have should
may have
Main Verb used provide scared helping increase were worked give boarded was are earned
Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student if the actual definition of a verb phrase was close to her educated guess.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 44—1
Lesson 44
Verb Phrases
What could a verb phrase possibly be? Can you make an educated guess? A verb phrase consists of one or more helping words and the main verb or simple predicate. The main verb can stand alone in a sentence, and the helping words or verbs are used in sentences to help the main verb show action or time. We will begin by looking at the difference between main and helping verbs in the following examples: Main Verbs: EX. The store owner sold the candy for half price. EX. Mr. Jones was happy with the turnout of the party. EX. Fighting is prevalent at the middle school. Helping Verbs: There are several different types of helping verbs: Forms of the word be: is, am, was, are, were, be, been Forms of the word do: do, does, did Forms of the word have: has, have, had Others: may, might, can, should, could, would, shall, will Forms of the words be, have, and do sometimes can function as main verbs as well as helping verbs. EX. The car might be in poor condition. EX. The doctor should have told her about her illness. EX. She would do everything she could for her friend. Now, see if you can identify the verb phrase in each sentence. EX. A handsome prince was looking for his princess.[was looking] EX. The carpenter’s daughter should have told her dad about her problems at school. [should have told] EX. The classroom’s walls will be painted over the summer. [will be painted] Now complete the Verb Phrase Practice. Remember to look for the helping verbs. Sometimes there is a main verb plus one or more helping verbs. Refer to the list of helping verbs discussed in the Lesson to help you locate all of the helping verbs. Lesson Wrap-Up: Is the actual definition of a verb phrase close to your educated guess?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 44—2
Verb Phrase Practice Directions: Underline the verb phrase in each sentence. Then, label the main verb and the helping verb(s). The auditorium, site of the school play, could not be used for weeks.
Protein may provide much energy for active children.
Sally was scared to stay home by herself unless her mom called her every hour.
Firemen were helping the people escape from the burning building.
The price of milk will increase 40 cents today.
The vacationers were afraid of the impending hurricane.
I will have worked all day to prepare for her birthday party.
Companies should give employees two weeks of holiday vacation every year.
The passengers boarded the airplane an hour late.
Suzanne was a friend to Amy.
Good weather and happy travelers are the keys to an enjoyable vacation.
He may have earned an A on his test, but he still has a long way to go to raise his grade.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 45—1
Lesson 45 Compound Sentence Parts Objective: The student will be able to identify and use compound subjects and verbs in writing. Key Vocabulary: Compound subject, Compound verb Engage: Engaging Question: When you are retelling a story, do you ever find yourself going on and on about unnecessary details or unrelated topics? Does it bother you when someone else does it? Do you ever notice this in your writing? Could this lose a reader’s interest? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson the student will learn about compound subjects and compound verbs. Discuss the examples: Determine the compound subject in each. EX. The store owner and manager talked to each employee together. EX. Fish, fruit, vegetables, and protein are components of a healthy diet. EX. Good grades and perfect attendance go hand-in-hand. Answers: owner, manager; fish, fruit, vegetables, protein; Good grades, perfect attendance Determine the compound verb in each. EX. Mr. Jackson wrote and edited the book. EX. The two friends shopped, swam, and played sports together all summer. EX. The animals have dug and moved holes in the grass at the park. Answers: wrote, edited; shopped, swam, played; have dug, moved. After reviewing the examples, assign the Compound Subjects and Verbs Practice Sheet. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write a paragraph explaining simple subjects and compound subjects that includes what he knows about each and the difference between the two types.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 45—2
Compound Subjects and Verbs Practice Sheet Answer Key: Part 1 5IFGPMMPXJOHXPSETUIBUDPNQPTFUIFDPNQPVOETVCKFDUTTIPVMECFVOEFSMJOFE Carrots, tomatoes cheese, crackers Nancy, Darryl, I time, tide ferns, wildflowers brother, I table, food Jason, Ulysses Pueblo, hogans, teepees stocks, pillories Part 2 5IFGPMMPXJOHXPSETUIBUDPNQPTFUIFDPNQPVOEWFSCTTIPVMECFVOEFSMJOFE eats, sleeps checked, posed, snapped did hesitate, acted hoisted, pulled ate, drank baked, cooked organized, began pruned, fertilized waved, looked study, do
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 45—1
Lesson 45 Compound Sentence Parts When you are retelling a story, do you ever find yourself going on and on about unnecessary details or unrelated topics? Does it bother you when someone else does it? Do you ever notice this in your writing? Could this lose a readers interest? When writing effectively, it often helpful to eliminate unnecessary words in sentences by combining words to form compound subjects and verbs. Look at this example:
Sally walked to the store. Sue walked to the store with Sally. Sue bought cookies. Sally bought cookies. Then, Sally rode the bus to the library. Sue went with her. Some of the sentences above can be combined to create a well-written paragraph:
Compound subject—This is a subject that is made up of two or more subjects sharing the same verb. Compound verb—This is a verb that is made up of two or more verbs that share the same subject. Now, look at the following examples to determine the compound subject in each. EX. The store owner and manager talked to each employee together. EX. Fish, fruit, vegetables, and protein are components of a healthy diet. EX. Good grades and perfect attendance go hand-in-hand. Next, look at the following sentences to determine the compound verb in each. EX. Mr. Jackson wrote and edited the book. EX. The two friends shopped, swam, and played sports together all summer. EX. The animals have dug and moved holes in the grass at the park. Now complete the Compound Subjects and Verbs Practice Sheet.
Lesson Wrap-Up: Write a paragraph explaining simple subjects and compound subjects. Include what you know about each and the difference between the two types.
456%&/5 MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 46—1
Lesson 45 Types of Sentences Compound Subjects and Verbs Practice Sheet
Part 1. Underline the words that compose the compound subject in each sentence. Carrots or small tomatoes would make an attractive garnish. Cheese and whole-wheat crackers are a healthy snack. Nancy, Darryl, and I worked on the decorations. Time and the tide wait for no one. In the forest, ferns and wildflowers abound. My brother and I felt comfortable with those people. Without your help, the table and the food would not have been ready. Jason and Ulysses are characters from Greek mythology. Pueblos, hogans, and tepees were common Indian dwellings. In colonial times, stocks and pillories were used for punishment. Part 2. Underline the words that compose the compound verb in each sentence. The baby eats and sleeps on a regular schedule. The photographer checked the lighting, posed the subject, and snapped the picture. The paramedic hesitated, then acted quickly. The captain hoisted the sail and pulled up the anchor. The sick puppy neither ate nor drank. The whole family baked and cooked for days before the holiday. Brenda organized her note cards and began her rough draft.
STUDENT MANUAL
Mike pruned and fertilized the grapefruit plant. The departing dignitary waved and looked back. Some students seldom study but still do well.
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 46—1
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 46—1
Lesson 46
Types of Sentences
Objective: The student will be able to identify and use the various types of sentences in writing. Engage: Engaging Question: What are the different kinds of sentences? Do you remember the names of these types and what classifies a sentence in each category? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson is going to be a review of compound subjects and compound verbs. The student will learn the five types of sentences and practice identifying each of these types. Go through the examples provided to help the student determine what type of sentence is given. EX. EX. EX. EX. EX.
I cannot believe you won the contest! What time do you want to meet for dinner? I am going to go to the mall at 7:00 PM. You need to get out of here! How far is it to the movie theater?
Answers: exclamatory, interrogative, declarative, imperative, and interrogative. Assign the Types of Sentences Practice Sheet. Types of Sentences Practice Sheet Answer Key: Imperative. Declarative. Declarative. Imperative. Exclamatory! Declarative. Declarative. Imperative. Interrogative? Interrogative? Exclamatory! Exclamatory! Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student create five original sentences, showing each type of sentence.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 46—1
Lesson 46
Types of Sentences
What are the different kinds of sentences? Do you remember the names of these types and what classifies a sentence in each category? To review the previous Lessons, read the following paragraph. Then, rewrite it using compound subjects and verbs.
Jimmy loved going to the park. His brother also enjoyed going to the park. Each time they went to the park they went down the slide several times. They also played on the monkey bars and in the sandbox. When Jimmy’s mom took them to the park, she sat underneath a tree. She would also read underneath the tree. She also packed picnic lunches for them to eat while playing. She would pack sandwiches to eat. They also ate vegetables and cookies for dessert. In this Lesson we will learn that there are several different types of sentences. Declarative sentence—This type of sentence makes a statement and always ends in a period. An example of a declarative sentence is John went grocery shopping. Interrogative sentence—This type of sentence asks a question and always ends with a question mark. An example of an interrogative sentence is Will John be going grocery shopping today? Imperative sentence—This type of sentence tells or asks someone to do something. Sometimes an imperative sentence ends in a period; sometimes an exclamation mark. An example of an imperative sentence is Leave me alone! Exclamatory sentence—This type of sentence shows strong feeling but is not telling someone to do something. An exclamatory sentence always ends in an exclamation point. An example of this type of sentence is That was funny! Look at the following examples to determine what type of sentence is given. EX. I cannot believe you won the contest! EX. What time do you want to meet for dinner? EX. I am going to go to the mall at 7:00 PM. EX. You need to get out of here! EX. How far is it to the movie theater? Now it’s your turn! Complete the Kinds of Sentences Practice. It will give you practice identifying the different types of sentences. Lesson Wrap-Up: Create five original sentences, showing each type of sentence.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 46—2
Types of Sentences Practice Directions: Determine the type of sentence given and put in the appropriate punctuation at the end of the sentence. Put a summary of your research topic on my desk by the end of the hour Type of sentence: Last year, the weather on vacation was sunny and warm all week Type of sentence: Your garbage can stinks Type of sentence: Go clean out your closet Type of sentence: That’s my favorite meal Type of sentence: Bill insisted that the entire family come to his graduation Type of sentence: He’s so mean and loud Type of sentence: Put the chicken on the table with the rice Type of sentence: Why didn’t you do your homework Type of sentence: Who brought this stray dog home Type of sentence: It is amazing that we did not get caught Type of sentence: I have never been so terrified in my life Type of sentence:
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 47—1
Lesson 47
Subject Complements
Objective: The student will be able to identify and use subject complements in writing. Key Vocabulary: Complement Engage: Engaging Question: What is a subject complement? Can you figure out what it means from the words? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about subject complements and complete a practice sheet to demonstrate her understanding. She will then complete the Subject Complements Practice Sheet. Review the examples provided in the Lesson. EX. Fiction novels are often controversial. Answers: are = the linking verb controversial = predicate adjective EX. The famous actress is looking healthy. Answers: is = the linking verb healthy = predicate adjective EX. A speeding car will be dangerous. Answers: will be = the linking verb dangerous = predicate adjective
Subject Complements Practice Sheet Answer Key: Author PN Monroe PN Tired PA Problem PN Good PA Coach PN Dying PA Blue, green PA Principal PN Soar PA Packed PA Amanda PN Deputy PN The answers will vary for 14–20
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 47—1
Lesson 47
Subject Complements
What is a subject complement? Can you figure out what it means from the words? A complement is a word or group of words that gives completion to the verb of the sentence’s meaning. There are two types of complements: subject complements and objects of verbs. In this Lesson, we will discuss subject complements, which are words that follow a linking verb and rename or describe the subject. There are two main types of subject complements that can be found in a sentence. The first type is a predicate noun, which is a word that defines or renames the subject. An example of a predicate noun as a subject complement can be found in the following sentence: Her favorite teacher is Mrs. Jones. The word teacher is the subject, the word is is the linking verb, and the subject complement is Mrs. Jones, which is a predicate noun because it is the name of the teacher. It renames the subject. The second type of subject complement is a predicate adjective which is a word describing the subject. An example of a predicate adjective can be found in the sentence: The princess is beautiful. The word princess is the subject, the word is is the linking verb, and beautiful is the predicate adjective because it is describing the princess. Remember that you learned about linking verbs in a previous Lesson. Forms of the word be: is, am, was, are, were, be, been Forms of the word do: do, does, did Forms of the word have: has, have, had Others: may, might, can, should, could, would, shall, will Examine the following examples of subject complements in the following sentences: EX. Fiction novels are often controversial. EX. The famous actress is looking healthy. EX. A speeding car will be dangerous. EX. Her mother’s name is Joan. Now complete the Subject Complements Practice. This will give you needed practice on identifying subject complements.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 47—2
Subject Complements Practice Part 1: Underline the subject complement in each sentence. Then, state whether it is a predicate noun or a predicate adjective.
Mark Smith is the author of the book. . . . . . . . . . . .
Sammy’s hometown is Monroe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The doctor seems tired this morning. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Poor grades have become the problem for John.. . .
Susan is good at sewing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Eddy was the varsity baseball coach. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The two trees are dying.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The team’s uniforms are blue and green. . . . . . . . . .
Jim will be the new elementary principal. . . . . . . . .
The kite will soar in the air. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The movie theater was packed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The newest student in class is Amanda. . . . . . . . . . .
The policeman was a deputy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 47—3
Part 2: Create a sentence using the given word as a subject complement.
nice
smart
fireman
player
sweet
slow
hot
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 48—1
Lesson 48
Direct and Indirect Objects
Objective: The student will be able to review and use the objects in writing, both direct and indirect. Key Vocabulary: Direct object, indirect object Engage: Engaging Question: What is the difference between direct and indirect? For example if someone gives you a message directly what does this mean? If the message comes to you indirectly is this the same thing? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, we will discuss the second type of complement, the objects of verbs. There are two types of objects: direct object and indirect object. The student will learn the difference between these and practice their understanding. Review the examples provided for finding the direct and indirect objects: EX. She gave me the letter. EX. The director appointed the new track coach. EX. She ordered the club members dinner. EX. Marianne hugged the guest-of-honor at the luncheon. EX. The race car hit the wall and crashed. Examples Answer Key: Verb
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Gave Appointed Ordered Hugged Hit
letter coach dinner guest-of-honor
me members wall
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 48—2
Objects Practice Sheet Answer Key: Verb appointed threw punched elected prepared lit stole no objects no objects made told called
Direct Object Julie ball clock Mr. Sampson dinner
Indirect Object John
family neighborhood
candy
cake news brother
us everyone
Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student these questions: “What do you feel is easier to identify: a direct object or an indirect object?” “Why do you think this is the case?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 48—1
Lesson 48
Direct and Indirect Objects
What is the difference between direct and indirect? For example if someone gives you a message directly what does this mean? If the message comes to you indirectly is this the same thing? In the last Lesson we discussed how to find a subject complement in a sentence. The subject complement is the word or group of words that describes or renames the subject. In this Lesson, we will discuss the second type of complement, the objects of verbs. There are two types of objects: Direct Object—The direct object in a sentence is a word that is receiver of the action. It is easiest to find the direct object if you first look for the verb, and then ask yourself what? in reference to the verb. An example of a direct object can be seen in the sentence: The mother painted the baby’s bedroom purple. In this sentence, the verb is the word painted. You should then ask yourself what was painted, which was the bedroom. The answer to that question is bedroom, so the word bedroom is the direct object in this sentence. Indirect Object—The indirect object in a sentence is a word or group of words telling to whom or to what or for whom or for what the action was performed. It is easiest to find the indirect object if you first find the verb, and then ask yourself for whom? in reference to the verb. An example of an indirect object can be found in the sentence: She painted them signs to carry on the picket line. The verb is painted. First find the direct object by asking, “Painted what?” The answer to that question is, “Signs.” So signs is the direct object. To look for the indirect object, ask, “Painted signs to or for whom?” “Painted signs for them,” is the answer to the question, so the indirect object is them. It is important to note that if verb has an indirect object, it always has a direct object. It is possible for a verb to have direct object, but no indirect object. In the following examples, find the direct and indirect objects: EX. She gave me the letter. EX. The director appointed the new track coach. EX. She ordered the club members dinner. EX. Marianne hugged the guest-of-honor at the luncheon. EX. The race car hit the wall and crashed. Complete the Objects Practice Sheet. It is important to remember to find the verb first. Then look for the direct object by taking the verb and asking, “What?” Then look to see if there is an indirect object. Take the verb and the direct object and ask,“To or for whom or What?” If there is an answer to that question, there is an indirect object.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 48—2
Lesson Wrap-Up: What do you feel is easier to identify: a direct object or an indirect object? Why do you think this is the case?
Objects Practice Sheet Directions: In each sentence, circle each object and identify it as direct (D) or indirect (I). Two of the sentences have neither (N) a direct object or an indirect object.
The president appointed Julie as his secretary.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D
I
N
Sam threw John the ball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D
I
N
He punched a time clock when he arrived. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D
I
N
The state elected Mr. Sampson as the governor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D
I
N
Peter’s wife prepared the family dinner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D
I
N
The streetlights lit the entire neighborhood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D
I
N
The convict was stealing to get money. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D
I
N
Across the street, Mary went swimming at her friend’s house. . . . .
D
I
N
Five years ago, the couple married in Jamaica.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D
I
N
He made us a cake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D
I
N
The newspaper headline told everyone the news. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D
I
N
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TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 49—1
Lesson 49
Fragments and Run-ons
Objective: The student will be able to identify fragments and run-on sentences, and learn how to correct these common sentence mistakes in writing. Key Vocabulary Needed: Fragment, Run-on sentence, Conjunction Engage: Engaging Question: Have you ever heard the term “run on sentence”—is it a good or poor type of sentence? Why do you think that is? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson the student will focus on recognizing and correcting fragments and run-on sentences. Tell the student that there are several ways to correct run-on sentences, which will be shown and practiced in this Lesson. Assign the Fragments and Run-ons Practice. Fragments and Run-ons Practice Answer Key: Fragment Correct Fragment Run-on Fragment Fragment Correct Fragment Run-on Fragment Run-on Correct Answers will vary for the sentence corrections. Just be sure that the recreated sentences are not fragments or run-ons, and are properly punctuated.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 49—1
Lesson 49
Fragments and Run-ons
Has anyone ever pointed out run on sentences in your writing? How do you correct these? There are two very common errors in writing which create sentences that cannot be understood are fragments and run-ons. Let’s begin with fragments—a sentence that is written as a complete sentence, but is not a complete sentence because it lacks a subject, verb, or sometimes, both. In order to change a fragment to a complete sentence, you must add either a subject, a verb, or both, depending on the situation of the sentence. Examples of sentence fragments and how to change them to complete sentences: EX. Fixed the stairs last night. This sentence lacks in a subject, and can be changed by adding a subject as shown in the sentence: Sammy fixed the stairs last night. EX. Before the game. This sentence lacks a subject and a verb, and can be changed by adding both as shown in the sentence: Before the game, the referee read the team the rules. EX. The park in the center of town. This sentence lacks a verb, and can be changed by adding a verb such as shown in the sentence: The park in the center of town was cleaned. Next, we look at run-on sentences, which are two or more sentences which are written as if they are one sentence. A run-on sentence lacks a conjunction and/or a punctuation mark. Run-on sentences can be fixed by adding a conjunction and a comma, or by splitting the sentence up into two sentences that are complete thoughts. Below are some examples of run-on sentences which have been fixed to create appropriate, complete sentences. EX. The king and prince ruled the land before they began their rule, they met with their royal court. To fix this run-on sentence, you should split it up into two sentences between the words land and before in the following way: The king and prince ruled the land. Before they began their rule, they met with their royal court. EX. The students all did well on their tests, the teacher rewarded them.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 49—2
This run-on sentence should be fixed by putting a conjunction after the word tests to create the following sentence: The students all did well on their tests and the teacher rewarded them. EX. He won the jump rope contest the prize was a gold medal. This run-on sentence should be fixed by putting a conjunction and a comma after the word contest to create the following correct sentence: He won the jump rope contest, and the prize was a gold medal. Lesson Wrap-Up: Correct the following sentence: Sharon went to the mall to get a new outfit for her birthday party and then she went home and got ready and people came over a few hours later and they spent the day swimming and eating pizza and they ate cake and ice-cream after Sharon had opened all of her presents.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 49—3
Fragments and Run-ons Practice Complete the Fragments and Run-ons Practice. When completing this exercise, remember that there are several possible ways to correct fragments and run-on sentences. You have some discretion on deciding the best way to make corrections.
Part 1: State whether each sentence is a fragment, a run-on sentence, or if the sentence is correct.
Were formerly called the Oilers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Do people dream in color? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Anita and Ron, together with their families. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Many people wear glasses, other wear contacts. . . . . . . . . .
On fourth down with twenty yards to go.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
An outdoor job rather than a desk job. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dental X-rays show cavities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A third-floor apartment with many windows.. . . . . . . . . . . .
The Cubs beat the Pirates the Braves edged out the Dodgers.
Has gone on a camping trip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TV news gives brief reports newspapers give more details..
Radio announcers must have pleasant voices. . . . . . . . . . . . .
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 49—4
Part 2: Correct each run-on sentence by rewriting it to create a complete sentence. We went to my sister’s wedding over 200 people were invited.
We went to the beach for vacation last summer we got to see manta rays and seals.
June and Jack are going to the fair they are going to ride the roller coaster they are going to play some games and they will eat popcorn and candy apples.
Beth was not feeling well her friend took her to the doctor’s office.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 50—1
Lesson 50
Sentences Assessment
Objective: The student will be able to apply knowledge and understanding of the parts and kinds of sentences. Engage: Engaging Question: How could paying attention to different parts of a sentence or different types of sentences enhance your writing? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson is comprised of the Sentences Assessment which will assess the student’s understanding of the previous Grammar Lessons. Be sure to provide any necessary assistance to the student. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review the student’s answers to the Assessments; review any aspects the student may have found difficult. Sentences Assessment Answer Key: Part 1 Declarative Rachel Had helped strip thorns from roses and make big ribbon bows Had helped Had Would have helped No At the end of the day, she Declarative Was Had begged, had admitted Would Part 2 Exclamatory Declarative Imperative Imperative Interrogative Part 3 Answers will vary.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 50—1
Lesson 50
Sentences Assessment
How could paying attention to different parts of a sentence or different types of sentences enhance your writing? To test what you learned in The Parts of a Sentence Unit, you will take the Sentences Assessment. Be sure to answer every question to the best of your ability and do your best.
Sentences Assessment Part 1: Read the following passage and answer the questions below the passage. (1) Last year on “Take Our Daughters to Work(r) Day,” Rachel had spent the day with her mother at the florist shop. (2) She had helped strip thorns from roses and make big, ribbon bows. (3) She
had tried not to covet the colorful floral arrangements that her mother made, but she couldn’t help it. (4) Any of the giant ones would have looked fabulous in her bedroom. (5) At the end of the day, she had received one yellow rose. (6) It was hardly adequate, considering the hours of boredom and the many thorn pricks that she had suffered. (7) This year it was Rachel’s turn to visit her father at work. (8) She had begged to attend school instead, but she finally had admitted defeat. (9) She would have her day in court. What kind of sentence is sentence 1?
What is the simple subject in sentence 1?
What is the complete predicate in sentence 2?
What is the simple predicate in sentence 2?
What is the helping verb in sentence 3?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 50—2
What is the verb phrase in sentence 4?
Are there any compound subjects in this passage? If so, in what sentence?
What is the complete subject of sentence 5?
What kind of sentence is sentence 6?
What is the verb phrase in sentence 7?
What is the simple predicate in sentence 8?
What is the helping verb in sentence 9?
Part 2: Determine the type of each sentence. Watch out for the car!
My grandfather came to America as an immigrant from Poland.
Give the customer his money back for the broken jar of jelly.
You need to get out of the house.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 50—3
Did Sally get good grades this quarter?
Part 3: Correct each fragment or run-on sentence by writing a new, complete sentence. A victory for the Spartans.
A film board rates movies, the ratings are G, PG, R, and X.
Had an unusual name.
Late in the first quarter.
Shannon keeps a diary she writes in it daily.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—1
Lesson 51
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Expounding, Recondite, Incandescent, Paradox, Controvert, Infirmity, Intermittently, Accession, Spasmodic, Fecundity Materials Needed: Dictionary Literary Selections: Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) a Brief Biography; The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: What type of electronic or technology device that we use every day would have been considered Science fiction 30 years ago? 20 years ago? What is something that has yet to be invented that you could see being reality in the future? Technology Integration: Allow class time, or assign as homework, internet research on “time travel”. The information the student compiles will be useful when answering the Engaging Question in the next Lesson. Extension: Ask the student to think of a useful piece of technology that has yet to be invented. Have the student create a design and write a brief one-page paper on the benefits of the invention. After reading the Biography of H.G. Wells, have the student read a memoir about H.G. Wells (An Experiment in Autobiography in 1934). Then have the student compare and contrast the events in the autobiography with those in the biography. Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will begin reading The Time Machine, a short science fiction novel by H.G. Wells. Each chapter can be read aloud to the student or independently by the student. This will be your choice for each Lesson and chapter. After discussing the student’s response to the Engaging Question, assign the student to read the Biography of H.G. Wells.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—2
Note: Vocabulary words from each chapter to be read during a Lesson are presented in the Key Vocabulary section of each respective Lesson. To introduce the Vocabulary words, say each one aloud, then spell it aloud so the student can write it down on paper or in her journal to assist her in completing each respective Vocabulary assignment. The Time Machine will be read throughout Lessons 57-61; these Lessons will require the student to utilize the Frayer Square model for learning the meanings and usage of The Time Machine Vocabulary words. The Frayer Square model is an alternative to the traditional Vocabulary words practice of writing a word’s definition and then using it in a sentence. Allow time for the student to complete a Frayer Square for each word. Teach the student this method by walking her through each of these steps: Step Step Step Step Step
1: 2: 3: 4: 5:
Place the Vocabulary word in a circle in the center of the model. In the top, left-hand corner box, write the definition of the word. In the top, right-hand corner box, write the part of speech of the word. In the bottom, left-hand corner box, give an example of how the word can be used. In the bottom, right-hand corner box, draw a picture representing the word.
Finally, read Chapter One of The Time Machine aloud, or have the student read the chapter independently. The student should then complete the Chapter One Study Questions. Chapter One Study Questions Answer Key: How believable does the Time Traveller’s explanation of time as a fourth dimension sound? Answers will vary Why do you believe Wells chose to give most of his characters jobs to identify them instead of names? Answers will vary What is the effect of not naming the characters? Answers will vary What does the Time Traveller do to convince his guests that his demonstration is no trick? He tells them the machine travels too quickly through time to be visible. How does Wells hook the reader into turning to the next chapter? Answers will vary Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student: “What do you think about the story of The Time Machine so far? What do you think will happen next?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—1
Lesson 51
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) a Brief Biography Sometimes called the father of modern science fiction, H.G. Wells was born on September 21, 1866 in Bromley, Kent, England. His father, a professional cricket player and shopkeeper, and his mother, a former lady’s maid, raised Wells with the idea that he would find a place in the work world to which they were accustomed. He aspired to a different place in society. When he was thirteen, he left school to become a draper’s apprentice, a job his family expected would be proper for a boy of his station. The work repelled him, however. He worked briefly in a drugstore, returned for a stint as a draper’s assistant, then finally found a job as a teacher’s assistant in a grammar school. Education and academia suited him well. In 1884 he entered college with a scholarship to study biology. He was able to study under one of the great biology teachers of the time, Thomas Henry Huxley, and Wells graduated in 1888. The writings of Jules Verne undoubtedly influenced Wells, and he wrote his first novel, The Time Machine, partly in response to this new kind of literature that Verne produced. The story appeared in various forms in magazines from 1888 to 1894 and was released in its current form in 1895. The book was successful, and Wells did not need to teach or worry about money from that time on. Wells’ early novels continued in the science fiction mode of The Time Machine. The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897) and The War Between the Worlds (1898) cemented his position within the genre. For many readers, these early novels are the extent of Wells’ writing. He’s the “time machine guy” or the “Martian guy.” Wells, however, wrote short stories, mainstream fiction and non-fiction essays his entire life, most of them espousing in some form or another his views on humanity, society and the direction he saw the world going. Some of these works were also science fictional in nature. The Time Machine by H. G. Well is a work of science fiction. It was written in 1898. The Vocabulary of The Time Machine is very rich and descriptive, but much of it is not common to people of today. Therefore, we will study Vocabulary as we study the book. In this Lesson you will learn a specific technique to study Vocabulary. It is called the Frayer Square method. You will be using Frayer Squares to study the words you will be learning as you read The Time Machine.
Frayer Square Method of Learning Vocabulary
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—2
The words of a language
Noun
Vocabulary
This is how you will increase your Vocabulary
Expounding Paradox
Step 1: Place the Vocabulary word in the center of the model. Step 2: In the top, left hand corner box, write the definition of the word. Step 3: In the top, right hand corner box, write the part of speech of the word. Step 4: In the bottom, left hand corner box, give an example of how the word can be used. Step 5: In the bottom, right hand corner box, depict the meaning of the word using words or a drawing. Use this model for all of the Vocabulary words assigned to you during the study of The Time Machine. Be sure to complete Frayer Squares for each of the Vocabulary words from Chapter One of The Time Machine. Now you may read Chapter One of The Time Machine! When you have completed Chapter One, complete the study questions. Lesson Wrap-Up: What do you think about the story of The Time Machine so far? What do you think will happen next?
Chapter One Study Questions
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—3
How believable does the Time Traveller’s explanation of time as a fourth dimension sound?
Why do you believe Wells chose to give most of his characters jobs to identify them instead of names?
What is the effect of not naming the characters? What does the Time Traveller do to convince his guests that his demonstration is no trick? How does Wells hook the reader into turning to the next chapter?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—4
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [1898]
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—5
I The Time Traveller (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us. His grey eyes shone and twinkled, and his usually pale face was flushed and animated. The fire burned brightly, and the soft radiance of the incandescent lights in the lilies of silver caught the bubbles that flashed and passed in our glasses. Our chairs, being his patents, embraced and caressed us rather than submitted to be sat upon, and there was that luxurious after-dinner atmosphere when thought roams gracefully free of the trammels of precision. And he put it to us in this way—marking the points with a lean forefinger—as we sat and lazily admired his earnestness over this new paradox (as we thought it) and his fecundity. ‘You must follow me carefully. I shall have to controvert one or two ideas that are almost universally accepted. The geometry, for instance, they taught you at school is founded on a misconception.’ ‘Is not that rather a large thing to expect us to begin upon?’ said Filby, an argumentative person with red hair. ‘I do not mean to ask you to accept anything without reasonable ground for it. You will soon admit as much as I need from you. You know of course that a mathematical line, a line of thickness nil, has no real existence. They taught you that? Neither has a mathematical plane. These things are mere abstractions.’ ‘That is all right,’ said the Psychologist. ‘Nor, having only length, breadth, and thickness, can a cube have a real existence.’ ‘There I object,’ said Filby. ‘Of course a solid body may exist. All real things—’ ‘So most people think. But wait a moment. Can an instantaneous cube exist?’ ‘Don’t follow you,’ said Filby. ‘Can a cube that does not last for any time at all, have a real existence?’ Filby became pensive. ‘Clearly,’ the Time Traveller proceeded, ‘any real body must have extension in four directions:
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—6
it must have Length, Breadth, Thickness, and—Duration. But through a natural infirmity of the flesh, which I will explain to you in a moment, we incline to overlook this fact. There are really four dimensions, three which we call the three planes of Space, and a fourth, Time. There is, however, a tendency to draw an unreal distinction between the former three dimensions and the latter, because it happens that our consciousness moves intermittently in one direction along the latter from the beginning to the end of our lives.’ ‘That,’ said a very young man, making spasmodic efforts to relight his cigar over the lamp; ‘that... very clear indeed.’ ‘Now, it is very remarkable that this is so extensively overlooked,’ continued the Time Traveller, with a slight accession of cheerfulness. ‘Really this is what is meant by the Fourth Dimension, though some people who talk about the Fourth Dimension do not know they mean it. It is only another way of looking at Time. There is no difference between Time and any of the three dimensions of Space except that our consciousness moves along it. But some foolish people have got hold of the wrong side of that idea. You have all heard what they have to say about this Fourth Dimension?’ ‘I have not,’ said the Provincial Mayor. ‘It is simply this. That Space, as our mathematicians have it, is spoken of as having three dimensions, which one may call Length, Breadth, and Thickness, and is always definable by reference to three planes, each at right angles to the others. But some philosophical people have been asking why three dimensions particularly—why not another direction at right angles to the other three?—and have even tried to construct a Four-Dimension geometry. Professor Simon Newcomb was expounding this to the New York Mathematical Society only a month or so ago. You know how on a flat surface, which has only two dimensions, we can represent a figure of a three-dimensional solid, and similarly they think that by models of three dimensions they could represent one of four—if they could master the perspective of the thing. See?’ ‘I think so,’ murmured the Provincial Mayor; and, knitting his brows, he lapsed into an introspective state, his lips moving as one who repeats mystic words. ‘Yes, I think I see it now,’ he said after some time, brightening in a quite transitory manner. ‘Well, I do not mind telling you I have been at work upon this geometry of Four dimensions for some time. Some of my results are curious. For instance, here is a portrait of a man at eight years old, another at fifteen, another at seventeen, another at twenty-three, and so on. All these are evidently sections, as it were, Three-Dimensional representations of his Four-Dimensioned being, which is a fixed and unalterable thing. ‘Scientific people,’ proceeded the Time Traveller, after the pause required for the proper assimilation of this, ‘know very well that Time is only a kind of Space. Here is a popular scientific diagram, a weather record. This line I trace with my finger shows the movement of the barometer. Yesterday it was so high, yesterday night it fell, then this morning it rose again, and so gently upward to here. Surely the mercury did not trace this line in any of the dimensions of Space generally recognized? But certainly it traced such a line, and that line, therefore, we must conclude was along the Time-Dimension.’
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—7
‘But,’ said the Medical Man, staring hard at a coal in the fire, ‘if Time is really only a fourth dimension of Space, why is it, and why has it always been, regarded as something different? And why cannot we move in Time as we move about in the other dimensions of Space?’ The Time Traveller smiled. ‘Are you sure we can move freely in Space? Right and left we can go, backward and forward freely enough, and men always have done so. I admit we move freely in two dimensions. But how about up and down? Gravitation limits us there.’ ‘Not exactly,’ said the Medical Man. ‘There are balloons.’ ‘But before the balloons, save for spasmodic jumping and the inequalities of the surface, man had no freedom of vertical movement.’ ‘Still they could move a little up and down,’ said the Medical Man. ‘Easier, far easier down than up.’ ‘And you cannot move at all in Time, you cannot get away from the present moment.’ ‘My dear sir, that is just where you are wrong. That is just where the whole world has gone wrong. We are always getting away from the present moment. Our mental existences, which are immaterial and have no dimensions, are passing along the Time-Dimension with a uniform velocity from the cradle to the grave. Just as we should travel down if we began our existence fifty miles above the earth’s surface.’ ‘But the great difficulty is this,’ interrupted the Psychologist. ‘You can move about in all directions of Space, but you cannot move about in Time.’ ‘That is the germ of my great discovery. But you are wrong to say that we cannot move about in Time. For instance, if I am recalling an incident very vividly I go back to the instant of its occurrence: I become absent-minded, as you say. I jump back for a moment. Of course we have no means of staying back for any length of Time, any more than a savage or an animal has of staying six feet above the ground. But a civilized man is better off than the savage in this respect. He can go up against gravitation in a balloon, and why should he not hope that ultimately he may be able to stop or accelerate his drift along the Time-Dimension, or even turn about and travel the other way?’ ‘Oh, this,’ began Filby, ‘is all—’ ‘Why not?’ said the Time Traveller. ‘It’s against reason,’ said Filby. ‘What reason?’ said the Time Traveller. ‘You can show black is white by argument,’ said Filby, ‘but you will never convince me.’ ‘Possibly not,’ said the Time Traveller. ‘But now you begin to see the object of my investigations
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—8
into the geometry of Four Dimensions. Long ago I had a vague inkling of a machine—’ ‘To travel through Time!’ exclaimed the Very Young Man. ‘That shall travel indifferently in any direction of Space and Time, as the driver determines.’ Filby contented himself with laughter. ‘But I have experimental verification,’ said the Time Traveller. ‘It would be remarkably convenient for the historian,’ the Psychologist suggested. ‘One might travel back and verify the accepted account of the Battle of Hastings, for instance!’ ‘Don’t you think you would attract attention?’ said the Medical Man. ‘Our ancestors had no great tolerance for anachronisms.’ ‘One might get one’s Greek from the very lips of Homer and Plato,’ the Very Young Man thought. ‘In which case they would certainly plough you for the Little-go. The German scholars have improved Greek so much.’ ‘Then there is the future,’ said the Very Young Man. ‘Just think! One might invest all one’s money, leave it to accumulate at interest, and hurry on ahead!’ ‘To discover a society,’ said I, ‘erected on a strictly communistic basis.’ ‘Of all the wild extravagant theories!’ began the Psychologist. ‘Yes, so it seemed to me, and so I never talked of it until—’ ‘Experimental verification!’ cried I. ‘You are going to verify_that_?’ ‘The experiment!’ cried Filby, who was getting brain-weary. ‘Let’s see your experiment anyhow,’ said the Psychologist, ‘though it’s all humbug, you know.’ The Time Traveller smiled round at us. Then, still smiling faintly, and with his hands deep in his trousers pockets, he walked slowly out of the room, and we heard his slippers shuffling down the long passage to his laboratory. The Psychologist looked at us. ‘I wonder what he’s got?’ ‘Some sleight-of-hand trick or other,’ said the Medical Man, and Filby tried to tell us about a conjurer he had seen at Burslem; but before he had finished his preface the Time Traveller came back, and Filby’s anecdote collapsed. The thing the Time Traveller held in his hand was a glittering metallic framework, scarcely larger than a small clock, and very delicately made. There was ivory in it, and some transparent crystalline substance. And now I must be explicit, for this that follows—unless his explanation is to
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—9
be accepted—is an absolutely unaccountable thing. He took one of the small octagonal tables that were scattered about the room, and set it in front of the fire, with two legs on the hearthrug. On this table he placed the mechanism. Then he drew up a chair, and sat down. The only other object on the table was a small shaded lamp, the bright light of which fell upon the model. There were also perhaps a dozen candles about, two in brass candlesticks upon the mantel and several in sconces, so that the room was brilliantly illuminated. I sat in a low arm-chair nearest the fire, and I drew this forward so as to be almost between the Time Traveller and the fireplace. Filby sat behind him, looking over his shoulder. The Medical Man and the provincial Mayor watched him in profile from the right, the Psychologist from the left. The Very Young Man stood behind the Psychologist. We were all on the alert. It appears incredible to me that any kind of trick, however subtly conceived and however adroitly done, could have been played upon us under these conditions. The Time Traveller looked at us, and then at the mechanism. ‘Well?’ said the psychologist. ‘This little affair,’ said the Time Traveller, resting his elbows upon the table and pressing his hands together above the apparatus, ‘is only a model. It is my plan for a machine to travel through time. You will notice that it looks singularly askew, and that there is an odd twinkling appearance about this bar, as though it was in some way unreal.’ He pointed to the part with his finger. ‘Also, here is one little white lever, and here is another.’ The Medical Man got up out of his chair and peered into the thing. ‘It’s beautifully made,’ he said. ‘It took two years to make,’ retorted the Time Traveller. Then, when we had all imitated the action of the Medical Man, he said: ‘Now I want you clearly to understand that this lever, being pressed over, sends the machine gliding into the future, and this other reverses the motion. This saddle represents the seat of a time traveller. Presently I am going to press the lever, and off the machine will go. It will vanish, pass into future Time, and disappear. Have a good look at the thing. Look at the table too, and satisfy yourselves there is no trickery. I don’t want to waste this model, and then be told I’m a quack.’ There was a minute’s pause perhaps. The Psychologist seemed about to speak to me, but changed his mind. Then the Time Traveller put forth his finger towards the lever. ‘No,’ he said suddenly. ‘Lend me your hand.’ And turning to the Psychologist, he took that individual’s hand in his own and told him to put out his forefinger. So that it was the Psychologist himself who sent forth the model Time Machine on its interminable voyage. We all saw the lever turn. I am absolutely certain there was no trickery. There was a breath of wind, and the lamp flame jumped. One of the candles on the mantel was blown out, and the little machine suddenly swung round, became indistinct, was seen as a ghost for a second perhaps, as an eddy of faintly glittering brass and ivory; and it was gone— vanished! Save for the lamp the table was bare. Everyone was silent for a minute. Then Filby said he was damned. The Psychologist recovered from his stupor, and suddenly looked under the table. At that the Time Traveller laughed cheerfully. ‘Well?’ he said, with a reminiscence of the Psychologist. Then, getting up, he went to the tobacco jar on the mantel, and with his back to us began to fill his pipe. We stared at each other. ‘Look here,’ said the Medical Man, ‘are you in earnest about this? Do you seriously believe that that machine has travelled into time?’ ‘Certainly,’ said the Time Traveller, stooping to light a spill at the fire. Then he turned, lighting
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 51—10
his pipe, to look at the Psychologist’s face. (The Psychologist, to show that he was not unhinged, helped himself to a cigar and tried to light it uncut.) ‘What is more, I have a big machine nearly finished in there’—he indicated the laboratory—’and when that is put together I mean to have a journey on my own account.’ ‘You mean to say that that machine has travelled into the future?’ said Filby. ‘Into the future or the past—I don’t, for certain, know which.’ After an interval the Psychologist had an inspiration. ‘It must have gone into the past if it has gone anywhere,’ he said. ‘Why?’ said the Time Traveller. ‘Because I presume that it has not moved in space, and if it travelled into the future it would still be here all this time, since it must have travelled through this time.’ ‘But,’ I said, ‘If it travelled into the past it would have been visible when we came first into this room; and last Thursday when we were here; and the Thursday before that; and so forth!’ ‘Serious objections,’ remarked the Provincial Mayor, with an air of impartiality, turning towards the Time Traveller. ‘Not a bit,’ said the Time Traveller, and, to the Psychologist: ‘You think. You can explain that. It’s presentation below the threshold, you know, diluted presentation.’ “Of course,’ said the Psychologist, and reassured us. ‘That’s a simple point of psychology. I should have thought of it. It’s plain enough, and helps the paradox delightfully. We cannot see it, nor can we appreciate this machine, any more than we can the spoke of a wheel spinning, or a bullet flying through the air. If it is travelling through time fifty times or a hundred times faster than we are, if it gets through a minute while we get through a second, the impression it creates will of course be only one-fiftieth or one-hundredth of what it would make if it were not travelling in time. That’s plain enough.’ He passed his hand through the space in which the machine had been. ‘You see?’ he said, laughing. We sat and stared at the vacant table for a minute or so. Then the Time Traveller asked us what we thought of it all. “It sounds plausible enough to-night,’ said the Medical Man; ‘but wait until to-morrow. Wait for the common sense of the morning.’ ‘Would you like to see the Time Machine itself?’ asked the Time Traveller. And therewith, taking the lamp in his hand, he led the way down the long, draughty corridor to his laboratory. I remember vividly the flickering light, his queer, broad head in silhouette, the dance of the shadows, how we all followed him, puzzled but incredulous, and how there in the laboratory we beheld a larger edition of the little mechanism which we had seen vanish from before our eyes.
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Parts were of nickel, parts of ivory, parts had certainly been filed or sawn out of rock crystal. The thing was generally complete, but the twisted crystalline bars lay unfinished upon the bench beside some sheets of drawings, and I took one up for a better look at it. Quartz it seemed to be. ‘Look here,’ said the Medical Man, ‘are you perfectly serious? Or is this a trick—like that ghost you showed us last Christmas?’ ‘Upon that machine,’ said the Time Traveller, holding the lamp aloft, ‘I intend to explore time. Is that plain? I was never more serious in my life.’ None of us quite knew how to take it. I caught Filby’s eye over the shoulder of the Medical Man, and he winked at me solemnly.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 52—1
Lesson 52
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Ingenuity, Lucid, Skepticism, Deportment, Plausibility, Speculation, Jocular, Ingenious, Articulation, Exclamatory Materials Needed: Dictionary Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: What do you know about time travel? Explain. Technology Integration/Extension: As an extended activity for this Lesson, have the student write a television or internet news story reporting the Time Traveller’s story. The student should visit various internet news sites—or view some network television news channels—to research and grasp how news anchors and reporters present important stories; the student’s story should model the formats and techniques researched, viewed and read. After writing the news story, film the student in the role of a news anchor or field reporter reporting the story. This can be done in class, time and equipment access permitting, or done at home. In either case, allow class time for the student to show it. Additional Notes to the Teacher: Discuss Chapter One of the story; then review the student’s responses to the study questions assigned for assessment during the previous Lesson. The student should complete her Frayer Squares for the Vocabulary terms of this chapter. Read Chapter Two of The Time Machine aloud with the student or have the student read this chapter silently. Remind the student to answer the Chapter Two study questions on paper, giving her enough time to complete the questions. You can discuss the answers to the study questions at the end of the Lesson. The assessment for this Lesson is to have the student write a CNN-type news story relating to the public the Time Traveller’s story. The student should use the computer or TV to
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 52—2
research how CNN news anchors present important stories, and model the story about the Time Traveller in this manner. Answer Key to Study Questions: How does Wells characterize the Time Traveller to make his audience doubt him? He is clever and mysterious Why does Wells wait so long to have the Time Traveller tell his story after he staggers into the room? He wants to appear mysterious and more believable to his guests How does Wells create a sense of suspense in the story? Answers will vary Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student exchange ideas about the pros and cons of time travel.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 52—1
Lesson 52
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Before continuing to read the story, complete the Frayer Squares for the Vocabulary words in Chapter Two. Once you have finished the Vocabulary, read Chapter Two of The Time Machine and answer the study questions that follow. Lesson Wrap-Up: Share your thoughts and ideas about the pros and cons of time travel.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 52—2
Chapter Two Study Questions How does Wells characterize the Time Traveller to make his audience doubt him?
Why does Wells wait so long to have the Time Traveller tell his story after he staggers into the room?
How does Wells create a sense of suspense in the story?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 52—3
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [1898] II I think that at that time none of us quite believed in the Time Machine. The fact is, the Time Traveller was one of those men who are too clever to be believed: you never felt that you saw all round him; you always suspected some subtle reserve, some ingenuity in ambush, behind his lucid frankness. Had Filby shown the model and explained the matter in the Time Traveller’s words, we should have shown him far less scepticism. For we should have perceived his motives; a pork butcher could understand Filby. But the Time Traveller had more than a touch of whim among his elements, and we distrusted him. Things that would have made the frame of a less clever man seemed tricks in his hands. It is a mistake to do things too easily. The serious people who took him seriously never felt quite sure of his deportment; they were somehow aware that trusting their reputations for judgment with him was like furnishing a nursery with egg-shell china. So I don’t think any of us said very much about time travelling in the interval between that Thursday and the next, though its odd potentialities ran, no doubt, in most of our minds: its plausibility, that is, its practical incredibleness, the curious possibilities of anachronism and of utter confusion it suggested. For my own part, I was particularly preoccupied with the trick of the model. That I remember discussing with the Medical Man, whom I met on Friday at the Linnaean. He said he had seen a similar thing at Tubingen, and laid considerable stress on the blowing out of the candle. But how the trick was done he could not explain. The next Thursday I went again to Richmond—I suppose I was one of the Time Traveller’s most constant guests—and, arriving late, found four or five men already assembled in his drawingroom. The Medical Man was standing before the fire with a sheet of paper in one hand and his watch in the other. I looked round for the Time Traveller, and—’It’s half-past seven now,’ said the Medical Man. ‘I suppose we’d better have dinner?’ ‘Where’s—?’ said I, naming our host. ‘You’ve just come? It’s rather odd. He’s unavoidably detained. He asks me in this note to lead off with dinner at seven if he’s not back. Says he’ll explain when he comes.’ ‘It seems a pity to let the dinner spoil,’ said the Editor of a well-known daily paper; and thereupon the Doctor rang the bell. The Psychologist was the only person besides the Doctor and myself who had attended the previous dinner. The other men were Blank, the Editor aforementioned, a certain journalist, and another—a quiet, shy man with a beard—whom I didn’t know, and who, as far as my observation went, never opened his mouth all the evening. There was some speculation at the dinner-table about the Time Traveller’s absence, and I suggested time travelling, in a half-jocular spirit. The Editor wanted that explained to him, and the Psychologist volunteered a wooden account of the ‘ingenious paradox and trick’ we had witnessed that day week. He was in the midst of his exposition when the door from the corridor opened slowly and without noise. I was facing the door, and saw it first. ‘Hallo!’ I said. ‘At last!’And the door opened wider, and the Time Traveller stood before us. I
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gave a cry of surprise. ‘Good heavens! man, what’s the matter?’ cried the Medical Man, who saw him next. And the whole tableful turned towards the door. He was in an amazing plight. His coat was dusty and dirty, and smeared with green down the sleeves; his hair disordered, and as it seemed to me greyer—either with dust and dirt or because its colour had actually faded. His face was ghastly pale; his chin had a brown cut on it—a cut half healed; his expression was haggard and drawn, as by intense suffering. For a moment he hesitated in the doorway, as if he had been dazzled by the light. Then he came into the room. He walked with just such a limp as I have seen in footsore tramps. We stared at him in silence, expecting him to speak. He said not a word, but came painfully to the table, and made a motion towards the wine. The Editor filled a glass of champagne, and pushed it towards him. He drained it, and it seemed to do him good: for he looked round the table, and the ghost of his old smile flickered across his face. ‘What on earth have you been up to, man?’said the Doctor. The Time Traveller did not seem to hear. ‘Don’t let me disturb you,’ he said, with a certain faltering articulation. ‘I’m all right.’ He stopped, held out his glass for more, and took it off at a draught. ‘That’s good,’ he said. His eyes grew brighter, and a faint colour came into his cheeks. His glance flickered over our faces with a certain dull approval, and then went round the warm and comfortable room. Then he spoke again, still as it were feeling his way among his words. ‘I’m going to wash and dress, and then I’ll come down and explain things... Save me some of that mutton. I’m starving for a bit of meat.’ He looked across at the Editor, who was a rare visitor, and hoped he was all right. The Editor began a question. “Tell you presently,’ said the Time Traveller. ‘I’m—funny! Be all right in a minute.’ He put down his glass, and walked towards the staircase door. Again I remarked his lameness and the soft padding sound of his footfall, and standing up in my place, I saw his feet as he went out. He had nothing on them but a pair of tattered, blood-stained socks. Then the door closed upon him. I had half a mind to follow, till I remembered how he detested any fuss about himself. For a minute, perhaps, my mind was wool-gathering. Then, ‘Remarkable Behaviour of an Eminent Scientist,’ I heard the Editor say, thinking (after his wont) in headlines. And this brought my attention back to the bright dinner-table. ‘What’s the game?’ said the Journalist. ‘Has he been doing the Amateur Cadger? I don’t follow.’ I met the eye of the Psychologist, and read my own interpretation in his face. I thought of the Time Traveller limping painfully upstairs. I don’t think any one else had noticed his lameness. The first to recover completely from this surprise was the Medical Man, who rang the bell—the Time Traveller hated to have servants waiting at dinner—for a hot plate. At that the Editor turned
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to his knife and fork with a grunt, and the Silent Man followed suit. The dinner was resumed. Conversation was exclamatory for a little while, with gaps of wonderment; and then the Editor got fervent in his curiosity. ‘Does our friend eke out his modest income with a crossing? or has he his Nebuchadnezzar phases?’ he inquired. ‘I feel assured it’s this business of the Time Machine,’ I said, and took up the Psychologist’s account of our previous meeting. The new guests were frankly incredulous. The Editor raised objections. ‘What was this time travelling? A man couldn’t cover himself with dust by rolling in a paradox, could he?’ And then, as the idea came home to him, he resorted to caricature. Hadn’t they any clothes-brushes in the Future? The Journalist too, would not believe at any price, and joined the Editor in the easy work of heaping ridicule on the whole thing. They were both the new kind of journalist—very joyous, irreverent young men. ‘Our Special Correspondent in the Day after To-morrow reports,’ the Journalist was saying—or rather shouting—when the Time Traveller came back. He was dressed in ordinary evening clothes, and nothing save his haggard look remained of the change that had startled me. ‘I say,’ said the Editor hilariously, ‘these chaps here say you have been travelling into the middle of next week! Tell us all about little Rosebery, will you? What will you take for the lot?’ The Time Traveller came to the place reserved for him without a word. He smiled quietly, in his old way. ‘Where’s my mutton?’ he said. ‘What a treat it is to stick a fork into meat again!’ ‘Story!’ cried the Editor. ‘Story be [darned]!’ said the Time Traveller. ‘I want something to eat. I won’t say a word until I get some peptone into my arteries. Thanks. And the salt.’ ‘One word,’ said I. ‘Have you been time travelling?’ ‘Yes,’ said the Time Traveller, with his mouth full, nodding his head. ‘I’d give a shilling a line for a verbatim note,’ said the Editor. The Time Traveller pushed his glass towards the Silent Man and rang it with his fingernail; at which the Silent Man, who had been staring at his face, started convulsively, and poured him wine. The rest of the dinner was uncomfortable. For my own part, sudden questions kept on rising to my lips, and I are say it was the same with the others. The Journalist tried to relieve the tension by telling anecdotes of Hettie Potter. The Time Traveller devoted his attention to his dinner, and displayed the appetite of a tramp. The Medical Man smoked a cigarette, and watched the Time Traveller through his eyelashes. The Silent Man seemed even more clumsy than usual, and drank champagne with regularity and determination out of sheer nervousness. At last the Time Traveller pushed his plate away, and looked round us. ‘I suppose I must apologize,’ he said. ‘I was simply starving. I’ve had a most amazing time.’ He
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reached out his hand for a cigar, and cut the end. ‘But come into the smoking-room. It’s too long a story to tell over greasy plates.’ And ringing the bell in passing, he led the way into the adjoining room. ‘You have told Blank, and Dash, and Chose about the machine?’ he said to me, leaning back in his easy-chair and naming the three new guests. ‘But the thing’s a mere paradox,’ said the Editor. ‘I can’t argue to-night. I don’t mind telling you the story, but I can’t argue. I will,’ he went on, ‘tell you the story of what has happened to me, if you like, but you must refrain from interruptions. I want to tell it. Badly. Most of it will sound like lying. So be it! It’s true—every word of it, all the same. I was in my laboratory at four o’clock, and since then... I’ve lived eight days... such days as no human being ever lived before! I’m nearly worn out, but I shan’t sleep till I’ve told this thing over to you. Then I shall go to bed. But no interruptions! Is it agreed?’ ‘Agreed,’ said the Editor, and the rest of us echoed ‘Agreed.’ And with that the Time Traveller began his story as I have set it forth. He sat back in his chair at first, and spoke like a weary man. Afterwards he got more animated. In writing it down I feel with only too much keenness the inadequacy of pen and ink—and, above all, my own inadequacy—to express its quality. You read, I will suppose, attentively enough; but you cannot see the speaker’s white, sincere face in the bright circle of the little lamp, nor hear the intonation of his voice. You cannot know how his expression followed the turns of his story! Most of us hearers were in shadow, for the candles in the smoking-room had not been lighted, and only the face of the Journalist and the legs of the Silent Man from the knees downward were illuminated. At first we glanced now and again at each other. After a time we ceased to do that, and looked only at the Time Traveler’s face.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 53—1
Lesson 53
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Imminent, Scaffolding, Palpitation, Luminous, Fluctuating, Poignant, Exhilaration, Rudimentary, Fluctuated, Attenuated Materials Needed: Writing journal, Dictionary Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: If you could travel into the future, what would you expect to see ten years from now? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the engaging question, have him complete the Fryer Squares for the Vocabulary terms of this Lesson. Next, read Chapter Three of The Time Machine aloud, or have the student read this chapter silently and assign the Chapter Three study questions. Allow the student enough time to finish the questions to ensure that he is able to discuss his responses with you. Review with the student the information previously taught regarding the plot, characters, setting, point-of-view, and the literary devices used in stories. The student should complete the Story Elements handout based on what has been read thus far in The Time Machine. Answer Key: How does the Time Traveller describe the sensations of time travel? Excessively unpleasant What new fear occurs to him while he is traveling? He fears he will collide with something when he stops What are the Time Traveller’s first impressions of the future? He thinks the creatures have simple, frail bodies How would you respond if you were the Time Traveller? Answers will vary
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What character traits have you noticed about the Time Traveller? What kind of person is he? Answers will vary What is the story’s setting? Late 19th century London in the Time Traveler’s home (dining and smoking rooms). The setting is in the future in year 802701 Who are the major and minor characters in the story? Major: Time Traveler, narrator, Weena, Eloi, and Morlocks Minor: Dinner guests What points of view have been present in the story thus far (explain where each point of view occurs)? First person point of view – There are two narrators (the true narrator Hilliger, and the Time Traveller. What is the exposition of the story? Answers will vary What elements of rising action have been present thus far? The time machine disappears in front of the dinner guests, and when there is a second dinner, the Time Traveller returns to the house in shambles after having been traveling about in the future List two other literary devices present in the story. Answers will vary Lesson Wrap Up: Have the student complete the “Story Elements” handout based on what has been read thus far in The Time Machine.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 53—1
Lesson 53
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
If you could travel into the future, what would you expect to see ten years from now? Complete the Frayer Squares for Lesson 58’s Vocabulary terms and then read Chapter Three of The Time Machine. When you have completed Chapter Three, answer the Study Questions for the chapter. You may be asked to discuss your answers. Lesson Wrap Up: Complete the “Story Elements” handout based on what you have read thus far in The Time Machine.
Chapter Three Study Questions: How does the Time Traveller describe the sensations of time travel?
What new fear occurs to him while he is traveling?
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What are the Time Traveller’s first impressions of the future?
How would you respond if you were the Time Traveller?
What character traits have you noticed about the Time Traveller? What kind of person is he?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 53—3
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [1898] III ‘I told some of you last Thursday of the principles of the Time Machine, and showed you the actual thing itself, incomplete in the workshop. There it is now, a little travel-worn, truly; and one of the ivory bars is cracked, and a brass rail bent; but the rest of it’s sound enough. I expected to finish it on Friday, but on Friday, when the putting together was nearly done, I found that one of the nickel bars was exactly one inch too short, and this I had to get remade; so that the thing was not complete until this morning. It was at ten o’clock to-day that the first of all Time Machines began its career. I gave it a last tap, tried all the screws again, put one more drop of oil on the quartz rod, and sat myself in the saddle. I suppose a suicide who holds a pistol to his skull feels much the same wonder at what will come next as I felt then. I took the starting lever in one hand and the stopping one in the other, pressed the first, and almost immediately the second. I seemed to reel; I felt a nightmare sensation of falling; and, looking round, I saw the laboratory exactly as before. Had anything happened? For a moment I suspected that my intellect had tricked me. Then I noted the clock. A moment before, as it seemed, it had stood at a minute or so past ten; now it was nearly half-past three! ‘I drew a breath, set my teeth, gripped the starting lever with both hands, and went off with a thud. The laboratory got hazy and went dark. Mrs. Watchett came in and walked, apparently without seeing me, towards the garden door. I suppose it took her a minute or so to traverse the place, but to me she seemed to shoot across the room like a rocket. I pressed the lever over to its extreme position. The night came like the turning out of a lamp, and in another moment came tomorrow. The laboratory grew faint and hazy, then fainter and ever fainter. To-morrow night came black, then day again, night again, day again, faster and faster still. An eddying murmur filled my ears, and a strange, dumb confusedness descended on my mind. ‘I am afraid I cannot convey the peculiar sensations of time travelling. They are excessively unpleasant. There is a feeling exactly like that one has upon a switchback—of a helpless headlong motion! I felt the same horrible anticipation, too, of an imminent smash. As I put on pace, night followed day like the flapping of a black wing. The dim suggestion of the laboratory seemed presently to fall away from me, and I saw the sun hopping swiftly across the sky, leaping it every minute, and every minute marking a day. I supposed the laboratory had been destroyed and I had come into the open air. I had a dim impression of scaffolding, but I was already going too fast to be conscious of any moving things. The slowest snail that ever crawled dashed by too fast for me. The twinkling succession of darkness and light was excessively painful to the eye. Then, in the intermittent darknesses, I saw the moon spinning swiftly through her quarters from new to full, and had a faint glimpse of the circling stars. Presently, as I went on, still gaining velocity, the palpitation of night and day merged into one continuous greyness; the sky took on a wonderful deepness of blue, a splendid luminous color like that of early twilight; the jerking sun became a streak of fire, a brilliant arch, in space; the moon a fainter fluctuating band; and I could see nothing of the stars, save now and then a brighter circle flickering in the blue. ‘The landscape was misty and vague. I was still on the hill-side upon which this house now
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stands, and the shoulder rose above me grey and dim. I saw trees growing and changing like puffs of vapour, now brown, now green; they grew, spread, shivered, and passed away. I saw huge buildings rise up faint and fair, and pass like dreams. The whole surface of the earth seemed changed— melting and flowing under my eyes. The little hands upon the dials that registered my speed raced round faster and faster. Presently I noted that the sun belt swayed up and down, from solstice to solstice, in a minute or less, and that consequently my pace was over a year a minute; and minute by minute the white snow flashed across the world, and vanished, and was followed by the bright, brief green of spring. ‘The unpleasant sensations of the start were less poignant now. They merged at last into a kind of hysterical exhilaration. I remarked indeed a clumsy swaying of the machine, for which I was unable to account. But my mind was too confused to attend to it, so with a kind of madness growing upon me, I flung myself into futurity. At first I scarce thought of stopping, scarce thought of anything but these new sensations. But presently a fresh series of impressions grew up in my mind—a certain curiosity and therewith a certain dread—until at last they took complete possession of me. What strange developments of humanity, what wonderful advances upon our rudimentary civilization, I thought, might not appear when I came to look nearly into the dim elusive world that raced and fluctuated before my eyes! I saw great and splendid architecture rising about me, more massive than any buildings of our own time, and yet, as it seemed, built of glimmer and mist. I saw a richer green flow up the hill-side, and remain there, without any wintry intermission. Even through the veil of my confusion the earth seemed very fair. And so my mind came round to the business of stopping. ‘The peculiar risk lay in the possibility of my finding some substance in the space which I, or the machine, occupied. So long as I travelled at a high velocity through time, this scarcely mattered; I was, so to speak, attenuated—was slipping like a vapour through the interstices of intervening substances! But to come to a stop involved the jamming of myself, molecule by molecule, into whatever lay in my way; meant bringing my atoms into such intimate contact with those of the obstacle that a profound chemical reaction—possibly a far-reaching explosion—would result, and blow myself and my apparatus out of all possible dimensions—into the Unknown. This possibility had occurred to me again and again while I was making the machine; but then I had cheerfully accepted it as an unavoidable risk—one of the risks a man has got to take! Now the risk was inevitable, I no longer saw it in the same cheerful light. The fact is that, insensibly, the absolute strangeness of everything, the sickly jarring and swaying of the machine, above all, the feeling of prolonged falling, had absolutely upset my nerve. I told myself that I could never stop, and with a gust of petulance I resolved to stop forthwith. Like an impatient fool, I lugged over the lever, and incontinently the thing went reeling over, and I was flung headlong through the air. ‘There was the sound of a clap of thunder in my ears. I may have been stunned for a moment. A pitiless hail was hissing round me, and I was sitting on soft turf in front of the overset machine. Everything still seemed grey, but presently I remarked that the confusion in my ears was gone. I looked round me. I was on what seemed to be a little lawn in a garden, surrounded by rhododendron bushes, and I noticed that their mauve and purple blossoms were dropping in a shower under the beating of the hail-stones. The rebounding, dancing hail hung in a cloud over the machine, and drove along the ground like smoke. In a moment I was wet to the skin. “Fine hospitality,” said I, “to a man who has travelled innumerable years to see you.”
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‘Presently I thought what a fool I was to get wet. I stood up and looked round me. A colossal figure, carved apparently in some white stone, loomed indistinctly beyond the rhododendrons through the hazy downpour. But all else of the world was invisible. ‘My sensations would be hard to describe. As the columns of hail grew thinner, I saw the white figure more distinctly. It was very large, for a silver birch-tree touched its shoulder. It was of white marble, in shape something like a winged sphinx, but the wings, instead of being carried vertically at the sides, were spread so that it seemed to hover. The pedestal, it appeared to me, was of bronze, and was thick with verdigris. It chanced that the face was towards me; the sightless eyes seemed to watch me; there was the faint shadow of a smile on the lips. It was greatly weather-worn, and that imparted an unpleasant suggestion of disease. I stood looking at it for a little space—half a minute, perhaps, or half an hour. It seemed to advance and to recede as the hail drove before it denser or thinner. At last I tore my eyes from it for a moment and saw that the hail curtain had worn threadbare, and that the sky was lightening with the promise of the sun. ‘I looked up again at the crouching white shape, and the full temerity of my voyage came suddenly upon me. What might appear when that hazy curtain was altogether withdrawn? What might not have happened to men? What if cruelty had grown into a common passion? What if in this interval the race had lost its manliness and had developed into something inhuman, unsympathetic, and overwhelmingly powerful? I might seem some old-world savage animal, only the more dreadful and disgusting for our common likeness—a foul creature to be incontinently slain. ‘Already I saw other vast shapes—huge buildings with intricate parapets and tall columns, with a wooded hill-side dimly creeping in upon me through the lessening storm. I was seized with a panic fear. I turned frantically to the Time Machine, and strove hard to readjust it. As I did so the shafts of the sun smote through the thunderstorm. The grey downpour was swept aside and vanished like the trailing garments of a ghost. Above me, in the intense blue of the summer sky, some faint brown shreds of cloud whirled into nothingness. The great buildings about me stood out clear and distinct, shining with the wet of the thunderstorm, and picked out in white by the unmelted hailstones piled along their courses. I felt naked in a strange world. I felt as perhaps a bird may feel in the clear air, knowing the hawk wings above and will swoop. My fear grew to frenzy. I took a breathing space, set my teeth, and again grappled fiercely, wrist and knee, with the machine. It gave under my desperate onset and turned over. It struck my chin violently. One hand on the saddle, the other on the lever, I stood panting heavily in attitude to mount again. ‘But with this recovery of a prompt retreat my courage recovered. I looked more curiously and less fearfully at this world of the remote future. In a circular opening, high up in the wall of the nearer house, I saw a group of figures clad in rich soft robes. They had seen me, and their faces were directed towards me. ‘Then I heard voices approaching me. Coming through the bushes by the White Sphinx were the heads and shoulders of men running. One of these emerged in a pathway leading straight to the little lawn upon which I stood with my machine. He was a slight creature—perhaps four feet high—clad in a purple tunic, girdled at the waist with a leather belt. Sandals or buskins—I could
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not clearly distinguish which—were on his feet; his legs were bare to the knees, and his head was bare. Noticing that, I noticed for the first time how warm the air was. ‘He struck me as being a very beautiful and graceful creature, but indescribably frail. His flushed face reminded me of the more beautiful kind of consumptive—that hectic beauty of which we used to hear so much. At the sight of him I suddenly regained confidence. I took my hands from the machine.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 53—7
Story Elements What is the story’s setting?
Who are the major and minor characters in the story?
What points of view have been present in the story thus far (explain where each point of view occurs)?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 53—8
What is the exposition of the story?
What elements of rising action have been present thus far?
List two other literary devices present in the story.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—1
Lesson 54
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Futurity, Exquisite, Singularly, Vivid, Melodious, Sphinx, Edifice, Portal, Dingy Materials Needed: Writing journal, Dictionary Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: How would you feel upon first seeing the Time Traveller? How would you greet him? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Ask the student to begin today’s Lesson by completing the following activity in her Writing Journal: Create an emotion web for the Time Traveller. Place his name inside the center circle, and use at least six branching circles to describe the personality/emotions of this character in the story. From each of these branching circles, include at least two other circles branching out that give evidence from the text to support your claim. After the student has completed the web, create this emotion web on the board or poster Maintain this web, as it will be added to throughout reading The Time Machine. The student should complete the Frayer Squares for the Vocabulary terms. Then, read Chapter Four of The Time Machine aloud, or ask him to read this chapter silently. Assign the study questions for Chapter Four. Discuss the student’s thoughts and responses to the study questions for this chapter. Then, assign the Chapters 1–3 Quiz.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—2
Answers to Chapter Four Study Questions: How do the people the Time Traveller meets respond to him? With gentleness What conclusions can you make about these people because they show no fear? Answers will vary What is different about the people from what the Time Traveller expected to find in the future? They are lazy and lack in curiosity What does the general age and poor state of the buildings indicate about the civilization? That communism has taken over What does the Time Traveller feel is an unexpected consequence of a civilization that has conquered all want? He feels that life does not always adapt to a stronger state of being
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—3
Answer Key to The Time Machine Quiz #1—Chapters 1–3: The Time Traveller has an interesting idea about the geometry of time that he explains to his friends. What, basically, is his explanation of why one should be able to travel in time? Time is a dimension of space where we are passing through time at the same velocity How does the Time Traveller first attempt to demonstrate that his theories of time travel are valid to his friends? He uses a small device as a model for his time machine, and has the Psychologist move the lever to send the machine to disappear How do the Time Traveller’s friends respond to his theories and to his announcement that he plans on attempting time travel? They are astounded, but question why they cannot see the model if it has been sent to the future The next time the narrator sees the Time Traveller is at a second dinner engagement. What is surprising about the Time Traveller’s appearance? He is disheveled, dirty, and limping How does H.G. Wells build suspense in this chapter after the Time Traveller announces that he has traveled in time? He says that he has been time traveling, but does not give any more information What is the Time Traveller most interested in when he first returns to his house? He is hungry for meat How does the Time Traveller describe the sensation of traveling through time? Does he find it pleasant or unpleasant? He finds it unpleasant What does the Time Traveller most fear might happen when he brings his machine to a stop? He is afraid that he will collide into something when he stops. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write create his own theory to explain the abandoned ruins.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—1
Lesson 54
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
How would you feel upon first seeing the Time Traveller? How would you greet him? Create an emotion web in your The Tell-Tale Heart for The Time Traveller. This will help you to understand his character. Place his name inside the center circle, and use at least six branching circles to describe the personality/emotions of this character in the story. From each of these branching circles, include at least two other circles branching out that give evidence from the text to support your claim. When the web is complete, create it on the board or poster paper from your ideas. Maintain this web, as additions will be made to it throughout reading The Time Machine. Be sure to complete the Frayer Squares for this Lesson’s Vocabulary terms. Before reading further you are going to take a quiz over Chapters 1–3 of The Time Machine to measure your understanding of the story thus far. Now you may continue reading. You will answer the study questions when you are finished. Lesson Wrap-Up: In several sentences, create your own theory to explain the abandoned ruins.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—2
The Time Machine Quiz #1—Chapters 1–3 The Time Traveller has an interesting idea about the geometry of time that he explains to his friends. What, basically, is his explanation of why one should be able to travel in time?
How does the Time Traveller first attempt to demonstrate that his theories of time travel are valid to his friends?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—3
How do the Time Traveller’s friends respond to his theories and to his announcement that he plans on attempting time travel?
The next time the narrator sees the Time Traveller is at a second dinner engagement. What is surprising about the Time Traveller’s appearance?
How does H.G. Wells build suspense in this chapter after the Time Traveller announces that he has traveled in time?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—4
What is the Time Traveller most interested in when he first returns to his house?
How does the Time Traveller describe the sensation of traveling through time? Does he find it pleasant or unpleasant?
What does the Time Traveller most fear might happen when he brings his machine to a stop?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—5
Chapter Four Study Questions How do the people the Time Traveller meets respond to him?
What conclusions can you make about these people because they show no fear?
What is different about the people from what the Time Traveller expected to find in the future?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—6
What does the general age and poor state of the buildings indicate about the civilization?
What does the Time Traveller feel is an unexpected consequence of a civilization that has conquered all want?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—7
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [1898] IV ‘In another moment we were standing face to face, I and this fragile thing out of futurity. He came straight up to me and laughed into my eyes. The absence from his bearing of any sign of fear struck me at once. Then he turned to the two others who were following him and spoke to them in a strange and very sweet and liquid tongue. ‘There were others coming, and presently a little group of perhaps eight or ten of these exquisite creatures were about me. One of them addressed me. It came into my head, oddly enough, that my voice was too harsh and deep for them. So I shook my head, and, pointing to my ears, shook it again. He came a step forward, hesitated, and then touched my hand. Then I felt other soft little tentacles upon my back and shoulders. They wanted to make sure I was real. There was nothing in this at all alarming. Indeed, there was something in these pretty little people that inspired confidence—a graceful gentleness, a certain childlike ease. And besides, they looked so frail that I could fancy myself flinging the whole dozen of them about like nine-pins. But I made a sudden motion to warn them when I saw their little pink hands feeling at the Time Machine. Happily then, when it was not too late, I thought of a danger I had hitherto forgotten, and reaching over the bars of the machine I unscrewed the little levers that would set it in motion, and put these in my pocket. Then I turned again to see what I could do in the way of communication. ‘And then, looking more nearly into their features, I saw some further peculiarities in their Dresden-china type of prettiness. Their hair, which was uniformly curly, came to a sharp end at the neck and cheek; there was not the faintest suggestion of it on the face, and their ears were singularly minute. The mouths were small, with bright red, rather thin lips, and the little chins ran to a point. The eyes were large and mild; and—this may seem egotism on my part—I fancied even that there was a certain lack of the interest I might have expected in them. “As they made no effort to communicate with me, but simply stood round me smiling and speaking in soft cooing notes to each other, I began the conversation. I pointed to the Time Machine and to myself. Then hesitating for a moment how to express time, I pointed to the sun. At once a quaintly pretty little figure in chequered purple and white followed my gesture, and then astonished me by imitating the sound of thunder. ‘For a moment I was staggered, though the import of his gesture was plain enough. The question had come into my mind abruptly: were these creatures fools? You may hardly understand how it took me. You see I had always anticipated that the people of the year Eight Hundred and Two Thousand odd would be incredibly in front of us in knowledge, art, everything. Then one of them suddenly asked me a question that showed him to be on the intellectual level of one of our fiveyear-old children—asked me, in fact, if I had come from the sun in a thunderstorm! It let loose the judgment I had suspended upon their clothes, their frail light limbs, and fragile features. A flow of disappointment rushed across my mind. For a moment I felt that I had built the Time Machine in vain. ‘I nodded, pointed to the sun, and gave them such a vivid rendering of a thunderclap as startled
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—8
them. They all withdrew a pace or so and bowed. Then came one laughing towards me, carrying a chain of beautiful flowers altogether new to me, and put it about my neck. The idea was received with melodious applause; and presently they were all running to and fro for flowers, and laughingly flinging them upon me until I was almost smothered with blossom. You who have never seen the like can scarcely imagine what delicate and wonderful flowers countless years of culture had created. Then someone suggested that their plaything should be exhibited in the nearest building, and so I was led past the sphinx of white marble, which had seemed to watch me all the while with a smile at my astonishment, towards a vast grey edifice of fretted stone. As I went with them the memory of my confident anticipations of a profoundly grave and intellectual posterity came, with irresistible merriment, to my mind. ‘The building had a huge entry, and was altogether of colossal dimensions. I was naturally most occupied with the growing crowd of little people, and with the big open portals that yawned before me shadowy and mysterious. My general impression of the world I saw over their heads was a tangled waste of beautiful bushes and flowers, a long neglected and yet weedless garden. I saw a number of tall spikes of strange white flowers, measuring a foot perhaps across the spread of the waxen petals. They grew scattered, as if wild, among the variegated shrubs, but, as I say, I did not examine them closely at this time. The Time Machine was left deserted on the turf among the rhododendrons. ‘The arch of the doorway was richly carved, but naturally I did not observe the carving very narrowly, though I fancied I saw suggestions of old Phoenician decorations as I passed through, and it struck me that they were very badly broken and weather-worn. Several more brightly clad people met me in the doorway, and so we entered, I, dressed in dingy nineteenth-century garments, looking grotesque enough, garlanded with flowers, and surrounded by an eddying mass of bright, soft-colored robes and shining white limbs, in a melodious whirl of laughter and laughing speech. ‘The big doorway opened into a proportionately great hall hung with brown. The roof was in shadow, and the windows, partially glazed with coloured glass and partially unglazed, admitted a tempered light. The floor was made up of huge blocks of some very hard white metal, not plates nor slabs—blocks, and it was so much worn, as I judged by the going to and fro of past generations, as to be deeply channelled along the more frequented ways. Transverse to the length were innumerable tables made of slabs of polished stone, raised perhaps a foot from the floor, and upon these were heaps of fruits. Some I recognized as a kind of hypertrophied raspberry and orange, but for the most part they were strange. ‘Between the tables was scattered a great number of cushions. Upon these my conductors seated themselves, signing for me to do likewise. With a pretty absence of ceremony they began to eat the fruit with their hands, flinging peel and stalks, and so forth, into the round openings in the sides of the tables. I was not loath to follow their example, for I felt thirsty and hungry. As I did so I surveyed the hall at my leisure. ‘And perhaps the thing that struck me most was its dilapidated look. The stained-glass windows, which displayed only a geometrical pattern, were broken in many places, and the curtains that hung across the lower end were thick with dust. And it caught my eye that the corner of the marble table near me was fractured. Nevertheless, the general effect was extremely rich and picturesque. There
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—9
were, perhaps, a couple of hundred people dining in the hall, and most of them, seated as near to me as they could come, were watching me with interest, their little eyes shining over the fruit they were eating. All were clad in the same soft and yet strong, silky material. ‘Fruit, by the by, was all their diet. These people of the remote future were strict vegetarians, and while I was with them, in spite of some carnal cravings, I had to be frugivorous also. Indeed, I found afterwards that horses, cattle, sheep, dogs, had followed the Ichthyosaurus into extinction. But the fruits were very delightful; one, in particular, that seemed to be in season all the time I was there—a floury thing in a three-sided husk—was especially good, and I made it my staple. At first I was puzzled by all these strange fruits, and by the strange flowers I saw, but later I began to perceive their import. ‘However, I am telling you of my fruit dinner in the distant future now. So soon as my appetite was a little checked, I determined to make a resolute attempt to learn the speech of these new men of mine. Clearly that was the next thing to do. The fruits seemed a convenient thing to begin upon, and holding one of these up I began a series of interrogative sounds and gestures. I had some considerable difficulty in conveying my meaning. At first my efforts met with a stare of surprise or inextinguishable laughter, but presently a fair-haired little creature seemed to grasp my intention and repeated a name. They had to chatter and explain the business at great length to each other, and my first attempts to make the exquisite little sounds of their language caused an immense amount of amusement. However, I felt like a schoolmaster amidst children, and persisted, and presently I had a score of noun substantives at least at my command; and then I got to demonstrative pronouns, and even the verb “to eat.” But it was slow work, and the little people soon tired and wanted to get away from my interrogations, so I determined, rather of necessity, to let them give their Lessons in little doses when they felt inclined. And very little doses I found they were before long, for I never met people more indolent or more easily fatigued. ‘A queer thing I soon discovered about my little hosts, and that was their lack of interest. They would come to me with eager cries of astonishment, like children, but like children they would soon stop examining me and wander away after some other toy. The dinner and my conversational beginnings ended, I noted for the first time that almost all those who had surrounded me at first were gone. It is odd, too, how speedily I came to disregard these little people. I went out through the portal into the sunlit world again as soon as my hunger was satisfied. I was continually meeting more of these men of the future, who would follow me a little distance, chatter and laugh about me, and, having smiled and gesticulated in a friendly way, leave me again to my own devices. ‘The calm of evening was upon the world as I emerged from the great hall, and the scene was lit by the warm glow of the setting sun. At first things were very confusing. Everything was so entirely different from the world I had known—even the flowers. The big building I had left was situated on the slope of a broad river valley, but the Thames had shifted perhaps a mile from its present position. I resolved to mount to the summit of a crest, perhaps a mile and a half away, from which I could get a wider view of this our planet in the year Eight Hundred and Two Thousand Seven Hundred and One A.D. For that, I should explain, was the date the little dials of my machine recorded. ‘As I walked I was watching for every impression that could possibly help to explain the condition
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—10
of ruinous splendour in which I found the world—for ruinous it was. A little way up the hill, for instance, was a great heap of granite, bound together by masses of aluminium, a vast labyrinth of precipitous walls and crumpled heaps, amidst which were thick heaps of very beautiful pagoda-like plants—nettles possibly—but wonderfully tinted with brown about the leaves, and incapable of stinging. It was evidently the derelict remains of some vast structure, to what end built I could not determine. It was here that I was destined, at a later date, to have a very strange experience—the first intimation of a still stranger discovery—but of that I will speak in its proper place. ‘Looking round with a sudden thought, from a terrace on which I rested for a while, I realized that there were no small houses to be seen. Apparently the single house, and possibly even the household, had vanished. Here and there among the greenery were palace-like buildings, but the house and the cottage, which form such characteristic features of our own English landscape, had disappeared. ‘“Communism,” said I to myself. ‘And on the heels of that came another thought. I looked at the half-dozen little figures that were following me. Then, in a flash, I perceived that all had the same form of costume, the same soft hairless visage, and the same girlish rotundity of limb. It may seem strange, perhaps, that I had not noticed this before. But everything was so strange. Now, I saw the fact plainly enough. In costume, and in all the differences of texture and bearing that now mark off the sexes from each other, these people of the future were alike. And the children seemed to my eyes to be but the miniatures of their parents. I judged, then, that the children of that time were extremely precocious, physically at least, and I found afterwards abundant verification of my opinion. ‘Seeing the ease and security in which these people were living, I felt that this close resemblance of the sexes was after all what one would expect; for the strength of a man and the softness of a woman, the institution of the family, and the differentiation of occupations are mere militant necessities of an age of physical force; where population is balanced and abundant, much childbearing becomes an evil rather than a blessing to the State; where violence comes but rarely and off-spring are secure, there is less necessity—indeed there is no necessity—for an efficient family, and the specialization of the sexes with reference to their children’s needs disappears. We see some beginnings of this even in our own time, and in this future age it was complete. This, I must remind you, was my speculation at the time. Later, I was to appreciate how far it fell short of the reality. ‘While I was musing upon these things, my attention was attracted by a pretty little structure, like a well under a cupola. I thought in a transitory way of the oddness of wells still existing, and then resumed the thread of my speculations. There were no large buildings towards the top of the hill, and as my walking powers were evidently miraculous, I was presently left alone for the first time. With a strange sense of freedom and adventure I pushed on up to the crest. ‘There I found a seat of some yellow metal that I did not recognize, corroded in places with a kind of pinkish rust and half smothered in soft moss, the arm-rests cast and filed into the resemblance of griffins’ heads. I sat down on it, and I surveyed the broad view of our old world under the sunset of that long day. It was as sweet and fair a view as I have ever seen. The sun had already gone below the horizon and the west was flaming gold, touched with some horizontal bars of purple and crimson. Below was the valley of the Thames, in which the river lay like a band of burnished steel. I have already spoken of the great palaces dotted about among the variegated greenery, some in ruins and some
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—11
still occupied. Here and there rose a white or silvery figure in the waste garden of the earth, here and there came the sharp vertical line of some cupola or obelisk. There were no hedges, no signs of proprietary rights, no evidences of agriculture; the whole earth had become a garden. ‘So watching, I began to put my interpretation upon the things I had seen, and as it shaped itself to me that evening, my interpretation was something in this way. (Afterwards I found I had got only a half-truth—or only a glimpse of one facet of the truth.) ‘It seemed to me that I had happened upon humanity upon the wane. The ruddy sunset set me thinking of the sunset of mankind. For the first time I began to realize an odd consequence of the social effort in which we are at present engaged. And yet, come to think, it is a logical consequence enough. Strength is the outcome of need; security sets a premium on feebleness. The work of ameliorating the conditions of life—the true civilizing process that makes life more and more secure—had gone steadily on to a climax. One triumph of a united humanity over Nature had followed another. Things that are now mere dreams had become projects deliberately put in hand and carried forward. And the harvest was what I saw! ‘After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of to-day are still in the rudimentary stage. The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently. Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can. We improve our favourite plants and animals— and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle. We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands. Some day all this will be better organized, and still better. That is the drift of the current in spite of the eddies. The whole world will be intelligent, educated, and co-operating; things will move faster and faster towards the subjugation of Nature. In the end, wisely and carefully we shall readjust the balance of animal and vegetable life to suit our human needs. ‘This adjustment, I say, must have been done, and done well; done indeed for all Time, in the space of Time across which my machine had leaped. The air was free from gnats, the earth from weeds or fungi; everywhere were fruits and sweet and delightful flowers; brilliant butterflies flew hither and thither. The ideal of preventive medicine was attained. Diseases had been stamped out. I saw no evidence of any contagious diseases during all my stay. And I shall have to tell you later that even the processes of putrefaction and decay had been profoundly affected by these changes. ‘Social triumphs, too, had been effected. I saw mankind housed in splendid shelters, gloriously clothed, and as yet I had found them engaged in no toil. There were no signs of struggle, neither social nor economical struggle. The shop, the advertisement, traffic, all that commerce which constitutes the body of our world, was gone. It was natural on that golden evening that I should jump at the idea of a social paradise. The difficulty of increasing population had been met, I guessed, and population had ceased to increase. ‘But with this change in condition comes inevitably adaptations to the change. What, unless
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 54—12
biological science is a mass of errors, is the cause of human intelligence and vigour? Hardship and freedom: conditions under which the active, strong, and subtle survive and the weaker go to the wall; conditions that put a premium upon the loyal alliance of capable men, upon self-restraint, patience, and decision. And the institution of the family, and the emotions that arise therein, the fierce jealousy, the tenderness for offspring, parental self-devotion, all found their justification and support in the imminent dangers of the young. Now, where are these imminent dangers? There is a sentiment arising, and it will grow, against connubial jealousy, against fierce maternity, against passion of all sorts; unnecessary things now, and things that make us uncomfortable, savage survivals, discords in a refined and pleasant life. ‘I thought of the physical slightness of the people, their lack of intelligence, and those big abundant ruins, and it strengthened my belief in a perfect conquest of Nature. For after the battle comes Quiet. Humanity had been strong, energetic, and intelligent, and had used all its abundant vitality to alter the conditions under which it lived. And now came the reaction of the altered conditions. ‘Under the new conditions of perfect comfort and security, that restless energy, that with us is strength, would become weakness. Even in our own time certain tendencies and desires, once necessary to survival, are a constant source of failure. Physical courage and the love of battle, for instance, are no great help—may even be hindrances—to a civilized man. And in a state of physical balance and security, power, intellectual as well as physical, would be out of place. For countless years I judged there had been no danger of war or solitary violence, no danger from wild beasts, no wasting disease to require strength of constitution, no need of toil. For such a life, what we should call the weak are as well equipped as the strong, are indeed no longer weak. Better equipped indeed they are, for the strong would be fretted by an energy for which there was no outlet. No doubt the exquisite beauty of the buildings I saw was the outcome of the last surgings of the now purposeless energy of mankind before it settled down into perfect harmony with the conditions under which it lived—the flourish of that triumph which began the last great peace. This has ever been the fate of energy in security; it takes to art and to eroticism, and then come languor and decay. ‘Even this artistic impetus would at last die away—had almost died in the Time I saw. To adorn themselves with flowers, to dance, to sing in the sunlight: so much was left of the artistic spirit, and no more. Even that would fade in the end into a contented inactivity. We are kept keen on the grindstone of pain and necessity, and, it seemed to me, that here was that hateful grindstone broken at last! ‘As I stood there in the gathering dark I thought that in this simple explanation I had mastered the problem of the world—mastered the whole secret of these delicious people. Possibly the checks they had devised for the increase of population had succeeded too well, and their numbers had rather diminished than kept stationary. That would account for the abandoned ruins. Very simple was my explanation, and plausible enough—as most wrong theories are!
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 55—1
Lesson 55
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Biopoem, Gibbous, Complacency, Leprous, Stanching, Dread, Folly, Mockery, Intervention, Inarticulate, Monomania Materials Needed: Writing journal, Dictionary Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: What do you think of the Time Traveler’s statements about the role of men and women in a family? How do they reflect the thinking of his time? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin today’s Lesson on The Time Machine by leading the student in a discussion of her response to the Engaging Question. The student should then use the Frayer Squares to define the vocabulary terms.
Read Chapter 5 of The Time Machine aloud with the student, or ask the student to read this chapter silently. Have the student answer Chapter Five Study Questions after completing the reading. To prepare for the Lesson Wrap-Up writing activity, let the student refer to the biopoem handout.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 55—2
Chapter Five Study Questions: How does the Time Traveller respond to the loss of his time ship? He panics and is scared that he may be stranded in the future What does the discovery of the wells with mechanical noises coming from them indicate about this world? That there is a ventilation system and that the society is automatic Why does the Time Traveller go to some lengths to tell the readers he knew very little about this world? Answers will vary Describe the character Weena. Answers will vary What is Weena’s relationship with the Time Traveller? She is his friend and follows him around wherever he goes What new elements of conflict are introduced in this chapter? The discovery of two types of new creatures How does H.G. Wells foreshadow upcoming events in this chapter? Answers will vary Lesson Wrap-Up: Using your knowledge of Weena’s character thus far, write a biopoem about Weena using as much imagery as possible. Refer to the Biopoem Handout.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 55—1
Lesson 55
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
What do you think of the Time Traveller’s statements about the role of men and women in a family? How do they reflect the thinking of his time? Now complete the Frayer Squares for the Vocabulary words in the upcoming chapter. Read Chapter Five of The Time Machine. When you are done with the reading, be sure to answer the Chapter Five Study Questions.
Chapter Five Study Questions How does the Time Traveller respond to the loss of his time ship?
What does the discovery of the wells with mechanical noises coming from them indicate about this world?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 55—2
Why does the Time Traveller go to some lengths to tell the readers he knew very little about this world?
Describe the character Weena.
What is Weena’s relationship with the Time Traveller?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 55—3
What new elements of conflict are introduced in this chapter?
How does H.G. Wells foreshadow upcoming events in this chapter?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 55—2
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [1898] V ‘As I stood there musing over this too perfect triumph of man, the full moon, yellow and gibbous, came up out of an overflow of silver light in the north-east. The bright little figures ceased to move about below, a noiseless owl flitted by, and I shivered with the chill of the night. I determined to descend and find where I could sleep. ‘I looked for the building I knew. Then my eye travelled along to the figure of the White Sphinx upon the pedestal of bronze, growing distinct as the light of the rising moon grew brighter. I could see the silver birch against it. There was the tangle of rhododendron bushes, black in the pale light, and there was the little lawn. I looked at the lawn again. A queer doubt chilled my complacency. “No,” said I stoutly to myself, “that was not the lawn.” ‘But it was the lawn. For the white leprous face of the sphinx was towards it. Can you imagine what I felt as this conviction came home to me? But you cannot. The Time Machine was gone! ‘At once, like a lash across the face, came the possibility of losing my own age, of being left helpless in this strange new world. The bare thought of it was an actual physical sensation. I could feel it grip me at the throat and stop my breathing. In another moment I was in a passion of fear and running with great leaping strides down the slope. Once I fell headlong and cut my face; I lost no time in stanching the blood, but jumped up and ran on, with a warm trickle down my cheek and chin. All the time I ran I was saying to myself: “They have moved it a little, pushed it under the bushes out of the way.” Nevertheless, I ran with all my might. All the time, with the certainty that sometimes comes with excessive dread, I knew that such assurance was folly, knew instinctively that the machine was removed out of my reach. My breath came with pain. I suppose I covered the whole distance from the hill crest to the little lawn, two miles perhaps, in ten minutes. And I am not a young man. I cursed aloud, as I ran, at my confident folly in leaving the machine, wasting good breath thereby. I cried aloud, and none answered. Not a creature seemed to be stirring in that moonlit world. ‘When I reached the lawn my worst fears were realized. Not a trace of the thing was to be seen. I felt faint and cold when I faced the empty space among the black tangle of bushes. I ran round it furiously, as if the thing might be hidden in a corner, and then stopped abruptly, with my hands clutching my hair. Above me towered the sphinx, upon the bronze pedestal, white, shining, leprous, in the light of the rising moon. It seemed to smile in mockery of my dismay. ‘I might have consoled myself by imagining the little people had put the mechanism in some shelter for me, had I not felt assured of their physical and intellectual inadequacy. That is what dismayed me: the sense of some hitherto unsuspected power, through whose intervention my invention had vanished. Yet, for one thing I felt assured: unless some other age had produced its exact duplicate, the machine could not have moved in time. The attachment of the levers—I will show you the method later—prevented any one from tampering with it in that way when they were removed. It had moved, and was hid, only in space. But then, where could it be?
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‘I think I must have had a kind of frenzy. I remember running violently in and out among the moonlit bushes all round the sphinx, and startling some white animal that, in the dim light, I took for a small deer. I remember, too, late that night, beating the bushes with my clenched fist until my knuckles were gashed and bleeding from the broken twigs. Then, sobbing and raving in my anguish of mind, I went down to the great building of stone. The big hall was dark, silent, and deserted. I slipped on the uneven floor, and fell over one of the malachite tables, almost breaking my shin. I lit a match and went on past the dusty curtains, of which I have told you. ‘There I found a second great hall covered with cushions, upon which, perhaps, a score or so of the little people were sleeping. I have no doubt they found my second appearance strange enough, coming suddenly out of the quiet darkness with inarticulate noises and the splutter and flare of a match. For they had forgotten about matches. “Where is my Time Machine?” I began, bawling like an angry child, laying hands upon them and shaking them up together. It must have been very queer to them. Some laughed, most of them looked sorely frightened. When I saw them standing round me, it came into my head that I was doing as foolish a thing as it was possible for me to do under the circumstances, in trying to revive the sensation of fear. For, reasoning from their daylight behaviour, I thought that fear must be forgotten. ‘Abruptly, I dashed down the match, and, knocking one of the people over in my course, went blundering across the big dining-hall again, out under the moonlight. I heard cries of terror and their little feet running and stumbling this way and that. I do not remember all I did as the moon crept up the sky. I suppose it was the unexpected nature of my loss that maddened me. I felt hopelessly cut off from my own kind—a strange animal in an unknown world. I must have raved to and fro, screaming and crying upon God and Fate. I have a memory of horrible fatigue, as the long night of despair wore away; of looking in this impossible place and that; of groping among moon-lit ruins and touching strange creatures in the black shadows; at last, of lying on the ground near the sphinx and weeping with absolute wretchedness. I had nothing left but misery. Then I slept, and when I woke again it was full day, and a couple of sparrows were hopping round me on the turf within reach of my arm. ‘I sat up in the freshness of the morning, trying to remember how I had got there, and why I had such a profound sense of desertion and despair. Then things came clear in my mind. With the plain, reasonable daylight, I could look my circumstances fairly in the face. I saw the wild folly of my frenzy overnight, and I could reason with myself. “Suppose the worst?” I said. “Suppose the machine altogether lost—perhaps destroyed? It behooves me to be calm and patient, to learn the way of the people, to get a clear idea of the method of my loss, and the means of getting materials and tools; so that in the end, perhaps, I may make another.” That would be my only hope, perhaps, but better than despair. And, after all, it was a beautiful and curious world. ‘But probably, the machine had only been taken away. Still, I must be calm and patient, find its hiding-place, and recover it by force or cunning. And with that I scrambled to my feet and looked about me, wondering where I could bathe. I felt weary, stiff, and travel-soiled. The freshness of the morning made me desire an equal freshness. I had exhausted my emotion. Indeed, as I went about my business, I found myself wondering at my intense excitement overnight. I made a careful examination of the ground about the little lawn. I wasted some time in futile questionings, conveyed, as well as I was able, to such of the little people as came by. They all failed to understand
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my gestures; some were simply stolid, some thought it was a jest and laughed at me. I had the hardest task in the world to keep my hands off their pretty laughing faces. It was a foolish impulse, but the devil begotten of fear and blind anger was ill curbed and still eager to take advantage of my perplexity. The turf gave better counsel. I found a groove ripped in it, about midway between the pedestal of the sphinx and the marks of my feet where, on arrival, I had struggled with the overturned machine. There were other signs of removal about, with queer narrow footprints like those I could imagine made by a sloth. This directed my closer attention to the pedestal. It was, as I think I have said, of bronze. It was not a mere block, but highly decorated with deep framed panels on either side. I went and rapped at these. The pedestal was hollow. Examining the panels with care I found them discontinuous with the frames. There were no handles or keyholes, but possibly the panels, if they were doors, as I supposed, opened from within. One thing was clear enough to my mind. It took no very great mental effort to infer that my Time Machine was inside that pedestal. But how it got there was a different problem. ‘I saw the heads of two orange-clad people coming through the bushes and under some blossom-covered apple-trees towards me. I turned smiling to them and beckoned them to me. They came, and then, pointing to the bronze pedestal, I tried to intimate my wish to open it. But at my first gesture towards this they behaved very oddly. I don’t know how to convey their expression to you. Suppose you were to use a grossly improper gesture to a delicate-minded woman—it is how she would look. They went off as if they had received the last possible insult. I tried a sweet-looking little chap in white next, with exactly the same result. Somehow, his manner made me feel ashamed of myself. But, as you know, I wanted the Time Machine, and I tried him once more. As he turned off, like the others, my temper got the better of me. In three strides I was after him, had him by the loose part of his robe round the neck, and began dragging him towards the sphinx. Then I saw the horror and repugnance of his face, and all of a sudden I let him go. ‘But I was not beaten yet. I banged with my fist at the bronze panels. I thought I heard something stir inside—to be explicit, I thought I heard a sound like a chuckle—but I must have been mistaken. Then I got a big pebble from the river, and came and hammered till I had flattened a coil in the decorations, and the verdigris came off in powdery flakes. The delicate little people must have heard me hammering in gusty outbreaks a mile away on either hand, but nothing came of it. I saw a crowd of them upon the slopes, looking furtively at me. At last, hot and tired, I sat down to watch the place. But I was too restless to watch long; I am too Occidental for a long vigil. I could work at a problem for years, but to wait inactive for twenty-four hours—that is another matter. ‘I got up after a time, and began walking aimlessly through the bushes towards the hill again. “Patience,” said I to myself. “If you want your machine again you must leave that sphinx alone. If they mean to take your machine away, it’s little good your wrecking their bronze panels, and if they don’t, you will get it back as soon as you can ask for it. To sit among all those unknown things before a puzzle like that is hopeless. That way lies monomania. Face this world. Learn its ways, watch it, be careful of too hasty guesses at its meaning. In the end you will find clues to it all.” Then suddenly the humour of the situation came into my mind: the thought of the years I had spent in study and toil to get into the future age, and now my passion of anxiety to get out of it. I had made myself the most complicated and the most hopeless trap that ever a man devised. Although it was at my own expense, I could not help myself. I laughed aloud.
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‘Going through the big palace, it seemed to me that the little people avoided me. It may have been my fancy, or it may have had something to do with my hammering at the gates of bronze. Yet I felt tolerably sure of the avoidance. I was careful, however, to show no concern and to abstain from any pursuit of them, and in the course of a day or two things got back to the old footing. I made what progress I could in the language, and in addition I pushed my explorations here and there. Either I missed some subtle point or their language was excessively simple—almost exclusively composed of concrete substantives and verbs. There seemed to be few, if any, abstract terms, or little use of figurative language. Their sentences were usually simple and of two words, and I failed to convey or understand any but the simplest propositions. I determined to put the thought of my Time Machine and the mystery of the bronze doors under the sphinx as much as possible in a corner of memory, until my growing knowledge would lead me back to them in a natural way. Yet a certain feeling, you may understand, tethered me in a circle of a few miles round the point of my arrival. ‘So far as I could see, all the world displayed the same exuberant richness as the Thames valley. From every hill I climbed I saw the same abundance of splendid buildings, endlessly varied in material and style, the same clustering thickets of evergreens, the same blossom-laden trees and tree-ferns. Here and there water shone like silver, and beyond, the land rose into blue undulating hills, and so faded into the serenity of the sky. A peculiar feature, which presently attracted my attention, was the presence of certain circular wells, several, as it seemed to me, of a very great depth. One lay by the path up the hill, which I had followed during my first walk. Like the others, it was rimmed with bronze, curiously wrought, and protected by a little cupola from the rain. Sitting by the side of these wells, and peering down into the shafted darkness, I could see no gleam of water, nor could I start any reflection with a lighted match. But in all of them I heard a certain sound: a thud—thud—thud, like the beating of some big engine; and I discovered, from the flaring of my matches, that a steady current of air set down the shafts. Further, I threw a scrap of paper into the throat of one, and, instead of fluttering slowly down, it was at once sucked swiftly out of sight. After a time, too, I came to connect these wells with tall towers standing here and there upon the slopes; for above them there was often just such a flicker in the air as one sees on a hot day above a sun-scorched beach. Putting things together, I reached a strong suggestion of an extensive system of subterranean ventilation, whose true import it was difficult to imagine. I was at first inclined to associate it with the sanitary apparatus of these people. It was an obvious conclusion, but it was absolutely wrong. ‘And here I must admit that I learned very little of drains and bells and modes of conveyance, and the like conveniences, during my time in this real future. In some of these visions of Utopias and coming times which I have read, there is a vast amount of detail about building, and social arrangements, and so forth. But while such details are easy enough to obtain when the whole world is contained in one’s imagination, they are altogether inaccessible to a real traveller amid such realities as I found here. Conceive the tale of London which a negro, fresh from Central Africa, would take back to his tribe! What would he know of railway companies, of social movements, of telephone and telegraph wires, of the Parcels Delivery Company, and postal orders and the like? Yet we, at least, should be willing enough to explain these things to him! And even of what he knew, how much could he make his untravelled friend either apprehend or believe? Then, think how narrow the gap between a Negro and a white man of our own times, and how wide the interval
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between myself and these of the Golden Age! I was sensible of much which was unseen, and which contributed to my comfort; but save for a general impression of automatic organization, I fear I can convey very little of the difference to your mind. ‘In the matter of sepulture, for instance, I could see no signs of crematoria nor anything suggestive of tombs. But it occurred to me that, possibly, there might be cemeteries (or crematoria) somewhere beyond the range of my explorings. This, again, was a question I deliberately put to myself, and my curiosity was at first entirely defeated upon the point. The thing puzzled me, and I was led to make a further remark, which puzzled me still more: that aged and infirm among this people there were none. ‘I must confess that my satisfaction with my first theories of an automatic civilization and a decadent humanity did not long endure. Yet I could think of no other. Let me put my difficulties. The several big palaces I had explored were mere living places, great dining-halls and sleeping apartments. I could find no machinery, no appliances of any kind. Yet these people were clothed in pleasant fabrics that must at times need renewal, and their sandals, though undecorated, were fairly complex specimens of metalwork. Somehow such things must be made. And the little people displayed no vestige of a creative tendency. There were no shops, no workshops, no sign of importations among them. They spent all their time in playing gently, in bathing in the river, in making love in a half-playful fashion, in eating fruit and sleeping. I could not see how things were kept going. ‘Then, again, about The Time Machine; something, I knew not what, had taken it into the hollow pedestal of the White Sphinx. Why? For the life of me I could not imagine. Those waterless wells, too, those flickering pillars. I felt I lacked a clue. I felt—how shall I put it? Suppose you found an inscription, with sentences here and there in excellent plain English, and interpolated therewith, others made up of words, of letters even, absolutely unknown to you? Well, on the third day of my visit, that was how the world of Eight Hundred and Two Thousand Seven Hundred and One presented itself to me! ‘That day, too, I made a friend—of a sort. It happened that, as I as watching some of the little people bathing in a shallow, one of them was seized with cramp and began drifting downstream. The main current ran rather swiftly, but not too strongly for even a moderate swimmer. It will give you an idea, therefore, of the strange deficiency in these creatures, when I tell you that none made the slightest attempt to rescue the weakly crying little thing which was drowning before their eyes. When I realized this, I hurriedly slipped off my clothes, and, wading in at a point lower down, I caught the poor mite and drew her safe to land. A little rubbing of the limbs soon brought her round, and I had the satisfaction of seeing she was all right before I left her. I had got to such a low estimate of her kind that I did not expect any gratitude from her. In that, however, I was wrong. ‘This happened in the morning. In the afternoon I met my little woman, as I believe it was, as I was returning towards my center from an exploration, and she received me with cries of delight and presented me with a big garland of flowers—evidently made for me and me alone. The thing took my imagination. Very possibly I had been feeling desolate. At any rate I did my best to display my appreciation of the gift. We were soon seated together in a little stone arbour, engaged in conversation, chiefly of smiles. The creature’s friendliness affected me exactly as a child’s might
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have done. We passed each other flowers, and she kissed my hands. I did the same to hers. Then I tried talk, and found that her name was Weena, which, though I don’t know what it meant, somehow seemed appropriate enough. That was the beginning of a queer friendship which lasted a week, and ended—as I will tell you! ‘She was exactly like a child. She wanted to be with me always. She tried to follow me everywhere, and on my next journey out and about it went to my heart to tire her down, and leave her at last, exhausted and calling after me rather plaintively. But the problems of the world had to be mastered. I had not, I said to myself, come into the future to carry on a miniature flirtation. Yet her distress when I left her was very great, her expostulations at the parting were sometimes frantic, and I think, altogether, I had as much trouble as comfort from her devotion. Nevertheless she was, somehow, a very great comfort. I thought it was mere childish affection that made her cling to me. Until it was too late, I did not clearly know what I had inflicted upon her when I left her. Nor until it was too late did I clearly understand what she was to me. For, by merely seeming fond of me, and showing in her weak, futile way that she cared for me, the little doll of a creature presently gave my return to the neighbourhood of the White Sphinx almost the feeling of coming home; and I would watch for her tiny figure of white and gold so soon as I came over the hill. ‘It was from her, too, that I learned that fear had not yet left the world. She was fearless enough in the daylight, and she had the oddest confidence in me; for once, in a foolish moment, I made threatening grimaces at her, and she simply laughed at them. But she dreaded the dark, dreaded shadows, dreaded black things. Darkness to her was the one thing dreadful. It was a singularly passionate emotion, and it set me thinking and observing. I discovered then, among other things, that these little people gathered into the great houses after dark, and slept in droves. To enter upon them without a light was to put them into a tumult of apprehension. I never found one out of doors, or one sleeping alone within doors, after dark. Yet I was still such a blockhead that I missed the Lesson of that fear, and in spite of Weena’s distress I insisted upon sleeping away from these slumbering multitudes. ‘It troubled her greatly, but in the end her odd affection for me triumphed, and for five of the nights of our acquaintance, including the last night of all, she slept with her head pillowed on my arm. But my story slips away from me as I speak of her. It must have been the night before her rescue that I was awakened about dawn. I had been restless, dreaming most disagreeably that I was drowned, and that sea anemones were feeling over my face with their soft palps. I woke with a start, and with an odd fancy that some greyish animal had just rushed out of the chamber. I tried to get to sleep again, but I felt restless and uncomfortable. It was that dim grey hour when things are just creeping out of darkness, when everything is colourless and clear cut, and yet unreal. I got up, and went down into the great hall, and so out upon the flagstones in front of the palace. I thought I would make a virtue of necessity, and see the sunrise. ‘The moon was setting, and the dying moonlight and the first pallor of dawn were mingled in a ghastly half-light. The bushes were inky black, the ground a sombre grey, the sky colourless and cheerless. And up the hill I thought I could see ghosts. There several times, as I scanned the slope, I saw white figures. Twice I fancied I saw a solitary white, ape-like creature running rather quickly up the hill, and once near the ruins I saw a leash of them carrying some dark body. They moved hastily. I did not see what became of them. It seemed that they vanished among the bushes. The dawn was
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still indistinct, you must understand. I was feeling that chill, uncertain, early-morning feeling you may have known. I doubted my eyes. ‘As the eastern sky grew brighter, and the light of the day came on and its vivid colouring returned upon the world once more, I scanned the view keenly. But I saw no vestige of my white figures. They were mere creatures of the half light. “They must have been ghosts,” I said; “I wonder whence they dated.” For a queer notion of Grant Allen’s came into my head, and amused me. If each generation die and leave ghosts, he argued, the world at last will get overcrowded with them. On that theory they would have grown innumerable some Eight Hundred Thousand Years hence, and it was no great wonder to see four at once. But the jest was unsatisfying, and I was thinking of these figures all the morning, until Weena’s rescue drove them out of my head. I associated them in some indefinite way with the white animal I had startled in my first passionate search for the Time Machine. But Weena was a pleasant substitute. Yet all the same, they were soon destined to take far deadlier possession of my mind. ‘I think I have said how much hotter than our own was the weather of this Golden Age. I cannot account for it. It may be that the sun was hotter, or the earth nearer the sun. It is usual to assume that the sun will go on cooling steadily in the future. But people, unfamiliar with such speculations as those of the younger Darwin, forget that the planets must ultimately fall back one by one into the parent body. As these catastrophes occur, the sun will blaze with renewed energy; and it may be that some inner planet had suffered this fate. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that the sun was very much hotter than we know it. ‘Well, one very hot morning—my fourth, I think—as I was seeking shelter from the heat and glare in a colossal ruin near the great house where I slept and fed, there happened this strange thing: Clambering among these heaps of masonry, I found a narrow gallery, whose end and side windows were blocked by fallen masses of stone. By contrast with the brilliancy outside, it seemed at first impenetrably dark to me. I entered it groping, for the change from light to blackness made spots of colour swim before me. Suddenly I halted spellbound. A pair of eyes, luminous by reflection against the daylight without, was watching me out of the darkness. ‘The old instinctive dread of wild beasts came upon me. I clenched my hands and steadfastly looked into the glaring eyeballs. I was afraid to turn. Then the thought of the absolute security in which humanity appeared to be living came to my mind. And then I remembered that strange terror of the dark. Overcoming my fear to some extent, I advanced a step and spoke. I will admit that my voice was harsh and ill-controlled. I put out my hand and touched something soft. At once the eyes darted sideways, and something white ran past me. I turned with my heart in my mouth, and saw a queer little ape-like figure, its head held down in a peculiar manner, running across the sunlit space behind me. It blundered against a block of granite, staggered aside, and in a moment was hidden in a black shadow beneath another pile of ruined masonry. ‘My impression of it is, of course, imperfect; but I know it was a dull white, and had strange large greyish-red eyes; also that there was flaxen hair on its head and down its back. But, as I say, it went too fast for me to see distinctly. I cannot even say whether it ran on all-fours, or only with its forearms held very low. After an instant’s pause I followed it into the second heap of ruins. I could not find it at first; but, after a time in the profound obscurity, I came upon one of those round well-
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like openings of which I have told you, half closed by a fallen pillar. A sudden thought came to me. Could this Thing have vanished down the shaft? I lit a match, and, looking down, I saw a small, white, moving creature, with large bright eyes which regarded me steadfastly as it retreated. It made me shudder. It was so like a human spider! It was clambering down the wall, and now I saw for the first time a number of metal foot and hand rests forming a kind of ladder down the shaft. Then the light burned my fingers and fell out of my hand, going out as it dropped, and when I had lit another the little monster had disappeared. ‘I do not know how long I sat peering down that well. It was not for some time that I could succeed in persuading myself that the thing I had seen was human. But, gradually, the truth dawned on me: that Man had not remained one species, but had differentiated into two distinct animals: that my graceful children of the Upper-world were not the sole descendants of our generation, but that this bleached, obscene, nocturnal Thing, which had flashed before me, was also heir to all the ages. ‘I thought of the flickering pillars and of my theory of an underground ventilation. I began to suspect their true import. And what, I wondered, was this Lemur doing in my scheme of a perfectly balanced organization? How was it related to the indolent serenity of the beautiful Upper-worlders? And what was hidden down there, at the foot of that shaft? I sat upon the edge of the well telling myself that, at any rate, there was nothing to fear, and that there I must descend for the solution of my difficulties. And withal I was absolutely afraid to go! As I hesitated, two of the beautiful Upperworld people came running in their amorous sport across the daylight in the shadow. The male pursued the female, flinging flowers at her as he ran. ‘They seemed distressed to find me, my arm against the overturned pillar, peering down the well. Apparently it was considered bad form to remark these apertures; for when I pointed to his one, and tried to frame a question about it in their tongue, they were still more visibly distressed and turned away. But they were interested by my matches, and I struck some to amuse them. I tried them again about the well, and again I failed. So presently I left them, meaning to go back to Weena, and see what I could get from her. But my mind was already in revolution; my guesses and impressions were slipping and sliding to a new adjustment. I had now a clue to the import of these wells, to the ventilating towers, to the mystery of the ghosts; to say nothing of a hint at the meaning of the bronze gates and the fate of the Time Machine! And very vaguely there came a suggestion towards the solution of the economic problem that had puzzled me. ‘Here was the new view. Plainly, this second species of Man was subterranean. There were three circumstances in particular which made me think that its rare emergence above ground was the outcome of a long-continued underground habit. In the first place, there was the bleached look common in most animals that live largely in the dark—the white fish of the Kentucky caves, for instance. Then, those large eyes, with that capacity for reflecting light, are common features of nocturnal things—witness the owl and the cat. and last of all, that evident confusion in the sunshine, that hasty yet fumbling awkward flight towards dark shadow, and that peculiar carriage of the head while in the light—all reinforced the theory of an extreme sensitiveness of the retina. ‘Beneath my feet, then, the earth must be tunnelled enormously, and these tunnellings were the habitat of the new race. The presence of ventilating shafts and wells along the hill slopes—
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everywhere, in fact, except along the river valley—showed how universal were its ramifications. What so natural, then, as to assume that it was in this artificial Underworld that such work as was necessary to the comfort of the daylight race was done? The notion was so plausible that I at once accepted it, and went on to assume the how of this splitting of the human species. I dare say you will anticipate the shape of my theory; though, for myself, I very soon felt that it fell far short of the truth. ‘At first, proceeding from the problems of our own age, it seemed clear as daylight to me that the gradual widening of the present merely temporary and social difference between the Capitalist and the Labourer, was the key to the whole position. No doubt it will seem grotesque enough to you—and wildly incredible!—and yet even now there are existing circumstances to point that way. There is a tendency to utilize underground space for the less ornamental purposes of civilization; there is the Metropolitan Railway in London, for instance, there are new electric railways, there are subways, there are underground workrooms and restaurants, and they increase and multiply. Evidently, I thought, this tendency had increased till Industry had gradually lost its birthright in the sky. I mean that it had gone deeper and deeper into larger and ever larger underground factories, spending a still-increasing amount of its time therein, till, in the end—! Even now, does not an East-end worker live in such artificial conditions as practically to be cut off from the natural surface of the earth? ‘Again, the exclusive tendency of richer people—due, no doubt, to the increasing refinement of their education, and the widening gulf between them and the rude violence of the poor—is already leading to the closing, in their interest, of considerable portions of the surface of the land. About London, for instance, perhaps half the prettier country is shut in against intrusion. And this same widening gulf—which is due to the length and expense of the higher educational process and the increased facilities for and temptations towards refined habits on the part of the rich—will make that exchange between class and class, that promotion by intermarriage which at present retards the splitting of our species along lines of social stratification, less and less frequent. So, in the end, above ground you must have the Haves, pursuing pleasure and comfort and beauty, and below ground the Have-nots, the Workers getting continually adapted to the conditions of their labour. Once they were there, they would no doubt have to pay rent, and not a little of it, for the ventilation of their caverns; and if they refused, they would starve or be suffocated for arrears. Such of them as were so constituted as to be miserable and rebellious would die; and, in the end, the balance being permanent, the survivors would become as well adapted to the conditions of underground life, and as happy in their way, as the Upper-world people were to theirs. As it seemed to me, the refined beauty and the etiolated pallor followed naturally enough. ‘The great triumph of Humanity I had dreamed of took a different shape in my mind. It had been no such triumph of moral education and general co-operation as I had imagined. Instead, I saw a real aristocracy, armed with a perfected science and working to a logical conclusion the industrial system of to-day. Its triumph had not been simply a triumph over Nature, but a triumph over Nature and the fellow-man. This, I must warn you, was my theory at the time. I had no convenient cicerone in the pattern of the Utopian books. My explanation may be absolutely wrong. I still think it is the most plausible one. But even on this supposition the balanced civilization that was at last attained must have long since passed its zenith, and was now far fallen into decay. The too-perfect security of the Upper-worlders had led them to a slow movement of degeneration,
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 55—11
to a general dwindling in size, strength, and intelligence. That I could see clearly enough already. What had happened to the Under-grounders I did not yet suspect; but from what I had seen of the Morlocks—that, by the by, was the name by which these creatures were called—I could imagine that the modification of the human type was even far more profound than among the “Eloi,” the beautiful race that I already knew. ‘Then came troublesome doubts. Why had the Morlocks taken my Time Machine? For I felt sure it was they who had taken it. Why, too, if the Eloi were masters, could they not restore the machine to me? And why were they so terribly afraid of the dark? I proceeded, as I have said, to question Weena about this Under-world, but here again I was disappointed. At first she would not understand my questions, and presently she refused to answer them. She shivered as though the topic was unendurable. And when I pressed her, perhaps a little harshly, she burst into tears. They were the only tears, except my own, I ever saw in that Golden Age. When I saw them I ceased abruptly to trouble about the Morlocks, and was only concerned in banishing these signs of the human inheritance from Weena’s eyes. And very soon she was smiling and clapping her hands, while I solemnly burned a match.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 55—12
Biopoem Handout First name Three or four adjectives that describe the person
Important relationship (daughter of, mother of, etc)
Two or three things, people, or ideas that the person loved
Three feelings the person experienced
Three fears the person experienced
Accomplishments (who composed, who discovered, etc.)
Two or three things the person wanted to see happen or wanted to experience
His or her residence Last name
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 56—1
Lesson 56
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Manifestly, Pallid, Perplexity, Lemur, Clambering, Aperture, Impenetrable, Abysmal, Incontinently, Grotesque Materials Needed: Writing Journal, Dictionary Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: What are some of Weena’s more predominant characteristics? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In today’s Lesson, the student will be given the opportunity to share his biopoem about Weena. After the student has shared his poem, instruct him to complete the Frayer Squares activity for the Chapter Six Vocabulary terms. The student will then read Chapter Six of The Time Machine and respond to the study questions. You will lead a discussion of the responses to the study questions. Be sure to check for the student’s understanding of the text. Study Questions Answers: How does H.G. Wells contrast Eloi with the Morlocks? Eloi have grown weak; Morlocks grew strong What similes applied to each race shows the Time Traveller’s attitude about them? Answers will vary How does the setting for each race contribute toward creating an attitude about them? Answers will vary Lesson Wrap-Up: Encourage the student to think about the attitudes that people in The Time Machine have toward each other. Ask: “Can you see how they developed?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 56—1
Lesson 56
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
What are some important and predominant characteristics of Weena? In the last Lesson, you completed your biopoem about Weena. Today you get the opportunity to share that poem! After you have shared your fabulous poem, complete the Frayer Squares activity for the Vocabulary terms from Chapter Six. You will then read Chapter Six of The Time Machine and respond to the following study questions. Once you have completed the study questions, your teacher will lead a discussion of these responses. He or she will be checking for your understanding of the text.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 56—2
Chapter Six Study Questions How does H.G. Wells contrast Eloi with the Morlocks?
What similes applied to each race shows the Time Traveller’s attitude about them?
How does the setting for each race contribute toward creating an attitude about them?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 56—3
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [1898] VI ‘It may seem odd to you, but it was two days before I could follow up the new-found clue in what was manifestly the proper way. I felt a peculiar shrinking from those pallid bodies. They were just the half-bleached colour of the worms and things one sees preserved in spirit in a zoological museum. And they were filthily cold to the touch. Probably my shrinking was largely due to the sympathetic influence of the Eloi, whose disgust of the Morlocks I now began to appreciate. ‘The next night I did not sleep well. Probably my health was a little disordered. I was oppressed with perplexity and doubt. Once or twice I had a feeling of intense fear for which I could perceive no definite reason. I remember creeping noiselessly into the great hall where the little people were sleeping in the moonlight—that night Weena was among them—and feeling reassured by their presence. It occurred to me even then, that in the course of a few days the moon must pass through its last quarter, and the nights grow dark, when the appearances of these unpleasant creatures from below, these whitened Lemurs, this new vermin that had replaced the old, might be more abundant. And on both these days I had the restless feeling of one who shirks an inevitable duty. I felt assured that the Time Machine was only to be recovered by boldly penetrating these underground mysteries. Yet I could not face the mystery. If only I had had a companion it would have been different. But I was so horribly alone, and even to clamber down into the darkness of the well appalled me. I don’t know if you will understand my feeling, but I never felt quite safe at my back. ‘It was this restlessness, this insecurity, perhaps, that drove me further and further afield in my exploring expeditions. Going to the south-westward towards the rising country that is now called Combe Wood, I observed far off, in the direction of nineteenth-century Banstead, a vast green structure, different in character from any I had hitherto seen. It was larger than the largest of the palaces or ruins I knew, and the facade had an Oriental look: the face of it having the lustre, as well as the pale-green tint, a kind of bluish-green, of a certain type of Chinese porcelain. This difference in aspect suggested a difference in use, and I was minded to push on and explore. But the day was growing late, and I had come upon the sight of the place after a long and tiring circuit; so I resolved to hold over the adventure for the following day, and I returned to the welcome and the caresses of little Weena. But next morning I perceived clearly enough that my curiosity regarding the Palace of Green Porcelain was a piece of self-deception, to enable me to shirk, by another day, an experience I dreaded. I resolved I would make the descent without further waste of time, and started out in the early morning towards a well near the ruins of granite and aluminum. ‘Little Weena ran with me. She danced beside me to the well, but when she saw me lean over the mouth and look downward, she seemed strangely disconcerted. “Good-bye, little Weena,” I said, kissing her; and then putting her down, I began to feel over the parapet for the climbing hooks. Rather hastily, I may as well confess, for I feared my courage might leak away! At first she watched me in amazement. Then she gave a most piteous cry, and running to me, she began to pull at me with her little hands. I think her opposition nerved me rather to proceed. I shook her off, perhaps a little roughly, and in another moment I was in the throat of the well. I saw her agonized face over the parapet, and smiled to reassure her. Then I had to look down at the unstable hooks to which I clung.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 56—4
‘I had to clamber down a shaft of perhaps two hundred yards. The descent was effected by means of metallic bars projecting from the sides of the well, and these being adapted to the needs of a creature much smaller and lighter than myself, I was speedily cramped and fatigued by the descent. And not simply fatigued! One of the bars bent suddenly under my weight, and almost swung me off into the blackness beneath. For a moment I hung by one hand, and after that experience I did not dare to rest again. Though my arms and back were presently acutely painful, I went on clambering down the sheer descent with as quick a motion as possible. Glancing upward, I saw the aperture, a small blue disk, in which a star was visible, while little Weena’s head showed as a round black projection. The thudding sound of a machine below grew louder and more oppressive. Everything save that little disk above was profoundly dark, and when I looked up again Weena had disappeared. ‘I was in an agony of discomfort. I had some thought of trying to go up the shaft again, and leave the Under-world alone. But even while I turned this over in my mind I continued to descend. At last, with intense relief, I saw dimly coming up, a foot to the right of me, a slender loophole in the wall. Swinging myself in, I found it was the aperture of a narrow horizontal tunnel in which I could lie down and rest. It was not too soon. My arms ached, my back was cramped, and I was trembling with the prolonged terror of a fall. Besides this, the unbroken darkness had had a distressing effect upon my eyes. The air was full of the throb and hum of machinery pumping air down the shaft. ‘I do not know how long I lay. I was roused by a soft hand touching my face. Starting up in the darkness I snatched at my matches and, hastily striking one, I saw three stooping white creatures similar to the one I had seen above ground in the ruin, hastily retreating before the light. Living, as they did, in what appeared to me impenetrable darkness, their eyes were abnormally large and sensitive, just as are the pupils of the abysmal fishes, and they reflected the light in the same way. I have no doubt they could see me in that rayless obscurity, and they did not seem to have any fear of me apart from the light. But, so soon as I struck a match in order to see them, they fled incontinently, vanishing into dark gutters and tunnels, from which their eyes glared at me in the strangest fashion. ‘I tried to call to them, but the language they had was apparently different from that of the Over-world people; so that I was needs left to my own unaided efforts, and the thought of flight before exploration was even then in my mind. But I said to myself, “You are in for it now,” and, feeling my way along the tunnel, I found the noise of machinery grow louder. Presently the walls fell away fromme, and I came to a large open space, and striking another match, saw that I had entered a vast arched cavern, which stretched into utter darkness beyond the range of my light. The view I had of it was as much as one could see in the burning of a match. ‘Necessarily my memory is vague. Great shapes like big machines rose out of the dimness, and cast grotesque black shadows, in which dim spectral Morlocks sheltered from the glare. The place, by the by, was very stuffy and oppressive, and the faint halitus of freshly shed blood was in the air. Some way down the central vista was a little table of white metal, laid with what seemed a meal. The Morlocks at any rate were carnivorous! Even at the time, I remember wondering what large animal could have survived to furnish the red joint I saw. It was all very indistinct: the heavy smell, the big unmeaning shapes, the obscene figures lurking in the shadows, and only waiting for the darkness to come at me again! Then the match burned down, and stung my fingers, and fell, a wriggling red spot in the blackness. ‘I have thought since how particularly ill-equipped I was for such an
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 56—5
experience. When I had started with the Time Machine, I had started with the absurd assumption that the men of the Future would certainly be infinitely ahead of ourselves in all their appliances. I had come without arms, without medicine, without anything to smoke—at times I missed tobacco frightfully—even without enough matches. If only I had thought of a Kodak! I could have flashed that glimpse of the Underworld in a second, and examined it at leisure. But, as it was, I stood there with only the weapons and the powers that Nature had endowed me with—hands, feet, and teeth; these, and four safety-matches that still remained to me. ‘I was afraid to push my way in among all this machinery in the dark, and it was only with my last glimpse of light I discovered that my store of matches had run low. It had never occurred to me until that moment that there was any need to economize them, and I had wasted almost half the box in astonishing the Upper-worlders, to whom fire was a novelty. Now, as I say, I had four left, and while I stood in the dark, a hand touched mine, lank fingers came feeling over my face, and I was sensible of a peculiar unpleasant odour. I fancied I heard the breathing of a crowd of those dreadful little beings about me. I felt the box of matches in my hand being gently disengaged, and other hands behind me plucking at my clothing. The sense of these unseen creatures examining me was indescribably unpleasant. The sudden realization of my ignorance of their ways of thinking and doing came home to me very vividly in the darkness. I shouted at them as loudly as I could. They started away, and then I could feel them approaching me again. They clutched at me more boldly, whispering odd sounds to each other. I shivered violently, and shouted again—rather discordantly. This time they were not so seriously alarmed, and they made a queer laughing noise as they came back at me. I will confess I was horribly frightened. I determined to strike another match and escape under the protection of its glare. I did so, and eking out the flicker with a scrap of paper from my pocket, I made good my retreat to the narrow tunnel. But I had scarce entered this when my light was blown out and in the blackness I could hear the Morlocks rustling like wind among leaves, and pattering like the rain, as they hurried after me. ‘In a moment I was clutched by several hands, and there was no mistaking that they were trying to haul me back. I struck another light, and waved it in their dazzled faces. You can scarce imagine how nauseatingly inhuman they looked—those pale, chinless faces and great, lidless, pinkish-grey eyes!—as they stared in their blindness and bewilderment. But I did not stay to look, I promise you: I retreated again, and when my second match had ended, I struck my third. It had almost burned through when I reached the opening into the shaft. I lay down on the edge, for the throb of the great pump below made me giddy. Then I felt sideways for the projecting hooks, and, as I did so, my feet were grasped from behind, and I was violently tugged backward. I lit my last match... and it incontinently went out. But I had my hand on the climbing bars now, and, kicking violently, I disengaged myself from the clutches of the Morlocks and was speedily clambering up the shaft, while they stayed peering and blinking up at me: all but one little wretch who followed me for some way, and well-nigh secured my boot as a trophy. ‘That climb seemed interminable to me. With the last twenty or thirty feet of it a deadly nausea came upon me. I had the greatest difficulty in keeping my hold. The last few yards was a frightful struggle against this faintness. Several times my head swam, and I felt all the sensations of falling. At last, however, I got over the well-mouth somehow, and staggered out of the ruin into the blinding sunlight. I fell upon my face. Even the soil smelt sweet and clean. Then I remember Weena kissing my hands and ears, and the voices of others among the Eloi. Then, for a time, I was insensible.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—1
Lesson 57
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Anguish, Impeded, Malign, Loathed, Incomprehensible, Wane, Villainy, Sufferance, Commended, Pinnacles Materials Needed: Writing journal, Dictionary Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: The Time Traveller talks about a separation between the rich and poor. Explain whether or not you agree with him. Give support for your answer. Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin the Lesson by asking the student to respond to the Engaging Question in her journal. The student should then take the Chapter Four through Six Quiz on The Time Machine. Once completed, the student will use the Fryer Squares to learn the meanings of the Lesson’s Vocabulary terms. The student can then continue reading The Time Machine, completing Chapter Seven. To assess understanding of the novel, assign the Chapter Seven Study Questions and discuss the student’s responses. Chapters Four– Six Quiz Answer Key: The Time Traveller worries that his machine won’t be safe if left unattended. What does he do to assure himself that no one will take off in it? (Chapter 4) He unscrewed the levers that would put the machine in motion and put them in his pocket. How intelligent does the Time Traveller feel the people of the future are? (Chapter 4) He feels he is intellectually superior, and that they are childish and not as advanced in general human knowledge.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—2
The Time Traveller has a theory to explain the condition of the people of the future (their physical weakness, their preoccupation with gentle activity, their lack of drive or concern). What is the theory? (Chapter 4) They seem to be living in security without a care for their well-being or safety. Up until this point in the novel, the Time Traveller has been on a voyage of discovery, but he hasn’t had any real conflict. What is the first genuine problem that he faces in the beginning of Chapter 5? He cannot find the time machine and thinks he is trapped in the future world. As the Time Traveller investigates the new world he has found, he discovers numerous “wells.” What are the features of these wells? (Chapter 5) They are circular, reaching deep into the ground. Who or what are the Morlocks? (Chapter 5) They are creatures with unpigmented fur, enlarged eyes, and clumsiness when running throughout daylight. Who or what is Weena? (Chapter 5) Weena is a Eloi girl the Time Traveller saves from drowning in the river. What action does the Time Traveller take at the well that terrifies his companion? (Chapter 6) He goes down into one of the wells. What happens to the Time Traveller underground? He sees three Morlocks and scares them when he lights a match. Then, he follows their path where he meets up with more Morlocks who chase him, but he is able to escape to the surface. Chapter Seven Study Questions Answer Key: What new theory does the Time Traveller make to explain the differences between the two races in this chapter? Capitalism led to a division in labor and workers are seeking revenge on their masters. How does what he discovered make him feel about his own time? It represents his own anxieties. The Time Traveller has a moment of contemplation while looking at the stars. What does he conclude about the relationship between nature and human history? That he is insignificant in relation to the long existence of the stars and earth. Lesson Wrap-Up: Involve the student in a discussion on the following: The Time Traveller is thoughtful about his world and the time in which he lives. Think about the world today and consider how it would seem to someone from a different era.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—1
Lesson 57
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
In this Lesson, you will continue to use the Frayer Squares to find the meanings of the Vocabulary terms. Once you have defined the Vocabulary terms, read Chapter Seven of The Time Machine and complete the study questions. When you have completed your responses, you will discuss your answers with your teacher. Lesson Wrap-Up: The Time Traveller is thoughtful about his world and the time in which he lives. Think about the world today and consider how it would seem to someone from a different era.
The Time Machine Chapters Four through Six Quiz Complete this quiz on Chapters Four through Six. The Time Traveller worries that his machine won’t be safe if left unattended. What does he do to assure himself that no one will take off in it? (Chapter 4)
How intelligent does the Time Traveller feel the people of the future are? (Chapter 4)
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—2
The Time Traveller has a theory to explain the condition of the people of the future (their physical weakness, their preoccupation with gentle activity, their lack of drive or concern). What is the theory? (Chapter 4)
Up until this point in the novel, the Time Traveller has been on a voyage of discovery, but he hasn’t had any real conflict. What is the first genuine problem that he faces in the beginning of Chapter 5?
As the Time Traveller investigates the new world he has found, he discovers numerous “wells.” What are the features of these wells? (Chapter 5)
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—3
Who or what are the Morlocks? (Chapter 5)
Who or what is Weena? (Chapter 5)
What action does the Time Traveller take at the well that terrifies his companion? (Chapter 6)
STUDENT MANUAL
What happens to the Time Traveller underground?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—4
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—5
Chapter Seven Study Questions What new theory does the Time Traveller make to explain the differences between the two races in this chapter?
How does what he discovered make him feel about his own time?
The Time Traveller has a moment of contemplation while looking at the stars. What does he conclude about the relationship between nature and human history?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—6
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [1898] VII ‘Now, indeed, I seemed in a worse case than before. Hitherto, except during my night’s anguish at the loss of the Time Machine, I had felt a sustaining hope of ultimate escape, but that hope was staggered by these new discoveries. Hitherto I had merely thought myself impeded by the childish simplicity of the little people, and by some unknown forces which I had only to understand to overcome; but there was an altogether new element in the sickening quality of the Morlocks—a something inhuman and malign. Instinctively I loathed them. Before, I had felt as a man might feel who had fallen into a pit: my concern was with the pit and how to get out of it. Now I felt like a beast in a trap, whose enemy would come upon him soon. ‘The enemy I dreaded may surprise you. It was the darkness of the new moon. Weena had put this into my head by some at first incomprehensible remarks about the Dark Nights. It was not now such a very difficult problem to guess what the coming Dark Nights might mean. The moon was on the wane: each night there was a longer interval of darkness. And I now understood to some slight degree at least the reason of the fear of the little Upper-world people for the dark. I wondered vaguely what foul villainy it might be that the Morlocks did under the new moon. I felt pretty sure now that my second hypothesis was all wrong. The Upper-world people might once have been the favoured aristocracy, and the Morlocks their mechanical servants: but that had long since passed away. The two species that had resulted from the evolution of man were sliding down towards, or had already arrived at, an altogether new relationship. The Eloi, like the Carolingian kings, had decayed to a mere beautiful futility. They still possessed the earth on sufferance: since the Morlocks, subterranean for innumerable generations, had come at last to find the daylit surface intolerable. And the Morlocks made their garments, I inferred, and maintained them in their habitual needs, perhaps through the survival of an old habit of service. They did it as a standing horse paws with his foot, or as a man enjoys killing animals in sport: because ancient and departed necessities had impressed it on the organism. But, clearly, the old order was already in part reversed. The Nemesis of the delicate ones was creeping on apace. Ages ago, thousands of generations ago, man had thrust his brother man out of the ease and the sunshine. And now that brother was coming back changed! Already the Eloi had begun to learn one old Lesson anew. They were becoming reacquainted with Fear. And suddenly there came into my head the memory of the meat I had seen in the Underworld. It seemed odd how it floated into my mind: not stirred up as it were by the current of my meditations, but coming in almost like a question from outside. I tried to recall the form of it. I had a vague sense of something familiar, but I could not tell what it was at the time. ‘Still, however helpless the little people in the presence of their mysterious Fear, I was differently constituted. I came out of this age of ours, this ripe prime of the human race, when Fear does not paralyse and mystery has lost its terrors. I at least would defend myself. Without further delay I determined to make myself arms and a fastness where I might sleep. With that refuge as a base, I could face this strange world with some of that confidence I had lost in realizing to what creatures night by night I lay exposed. I felt could never sleep again until my bed was secure from them. I shuddered with horror to think how they must already have examined me.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—7
‘I wandered during the afternoon along the valley of the Thames, but found nothing that commended itself to my mind as inaccessible. All the buildings and trees seemed easily practicable to such dexterous climbers as the Morlocks, to judge by their wells, must be. Then the tall pinnacles of the Palace of Green Porcelain and the polished gleam of its walls came back to my memory; and in the evening, taking Weena like a child upon my shoulder, I went up the hills towards the south-west. The distance, I had reckoned, was seven or eight miles, but it must have been nearer eighteen. I had first seen the place on a moist afternoon when distances are deceptively diminished. In addition, the heel of one of my shoes was loose, and a nail was working through the sole—they were comfortable old shoes I wore about indoors—so that I was lame. And it was already long past sunset when I came in sight of the palace, silhouetted black against the pale yellow of the sky. ‘Weena had been hugely delighted when I began to carry her, but after a while she desired me to let her down, and ran along by the side of me, occasionally darting off on either hand to pick flowers to stick in my pockets. My pockets had always puzzled Weena, but at the last she had concluded that they were an eccentric kind of vase for floral decoration. At least she utilized them for that purpose. And that reminds me! In changing my jacket I found...’ The Time Traveller paused, put his hand into his pocket, and silently placed two withered flowers, not unlike very large white mallows, upon the little table. Then he resumed his narrative. ‘As the hush of evening crept over the world and we proceeded over the hill crest towards Wimbledon, Weena grew tired and wanted to return to the house of grey stone. But I pointed out the distant pinnacles of the Palace of Green Porcelain to her, and contrived to make her understand that we were seeking a refuge there from her Fear. You know that great pause that comes upon things before the dusk? Even the breeze stops in the trees. To me there is always an air of expectation about that evening stillness. The sky was clear, remote, and empty save for a few horizontal bars far down in the sunset. Well, that night the expectation took the colour of my fears. In that darkling calm my senses seemed preternaturally sharpened. I fancied I could even feel the hollowness of the ground beneath my feet: could, indeed, almost see through it the Morlocks on their ant-hill going hither and thither and waiting for the dark. In my excitement I fancied that they would receive my invasion of their burrows as a declaration of war. And why had they taken my Time Machine? ‘So we went on in the quiet, and the twilight deepened into night. The clear blue of the distance faded, and one star after another came out. The ground grew dim and the trees black. Weena’s fears and her fatigue grew upon her. I took her in my arms and talked to her and caressed her. Then, as the darkness grew deeper, she put her arms round my neck, and, closing her eyes, tightly pressed her face against my shoulder. So we went down a long slope into a valley, and there in the dimness I almost walked into a little river. This I waded, and went up the opposite side of the valley, past a number of sleeping houses, and by a statue—a Faun, or some such figure, minus the head. Here too were acacias. So far I had seen nothing of the Morlocks, but it was yet early in the night, and the darker hours before the old moon rose were still to come. ‘From the brow of the next hill I saw a thick wood spreading wide and black before me. hesitated at this. I could see no end to it, either to the right or the left. Feeling tired—my feet, in particular, were very sore—I carefully lowered Weena from my shoulder as I halted, and sat down upon the turf. I could no longer see the Palace of Green Porcelain, and I was in doubt of my direction. I looked into the thickness of the wood and thought of what it might hide. Under that dense tangle of
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—8
branches one would be out of sight of the stars. Even were there no other lurking danger—a danger I did not care to let my imagination loose upon—there would still be all the roots to stumble over and the tree-boles to strike against. ‘I was very tired, too, after the excitements of the day; so I decided that I would not face it, but would pass the night upon the open hill. ‘Weena, I was glad to find, was fast asleep. I carefully wrapped her in my jacket, and sat down beside her to wait for the moonrise. The hill-side was quiet and deserted, but from the black of the wood there came now and then a stir of living things. Above me shone the stars, for the night was very clear. I felt a certain sense of friendly comfort in their twinkling. All the old constellations had gone from the sky, however: that slow movement which is imperceptible in a hundred human lifetimes, had long since rearranged them in unfamiliar groupings. But the Milky Way, it seemed to me, was still the same tattered streamer of star-dust as of yore. Southward (as I judged it) was a very bright red star that was new to me; it was even more splendid than our own green Sirius. And amid all these scintillating points of light one bright planet shone kindly and steadily like the face of an old friend. ‘Looking at these stars suddenly dwarfed my own troubles and all the gravities of terrestrial life. I thought of their unfathomable distance, and the slow inevitable drift of their movements out of the unknown past into the unknown future. I thought of the great precessional cycle that the pole of the earth describes. Only forty times had that silent revolution occurred during all the years that I had traversed. And during these few revolutions all the activity, all the traditions, the complex organizations, the nations, languages, literatures, aspirations, even the mere memory of Man as I knew him, had been swept out of existence. Instead were these frail creatures who had forgotten their high ancestry, and the white Things of which I went in terror. Then I thought of the Great Fear that was between the two species, and for the first time, with a sudden shiver, came the clear knowledge of what the meat I had seen might be. Yet it was too horrible! I looked at little Weena sleeping beside me, her face white and starlike under the stars, and forthwith dismissed the thought. ‘Through that long night I held my mind off the Morlocks as well as I could, and whiled away the time by trying to fancy I could find signs of the old constellations in the new confusion. The sky kept very clear, except for a hazy cloud or so. No doubt I dozed at times. Then, as my vigil wore on, came a faintness in the eastward sky, like the reflection of some colourless fire, and the old moon rose, thin and peaked and white. And close behind, and overtaking it, and overflowing it, the dawn came, pale at first, and then growing pink and warm. No Morlocks had approached us. Indeed, I had seen none upon the hill that night. And in the confidence of renewed day it almost seemed to me that my fear had been unreasonable. I stood up and found my foot with the loose heel swollen at the ankle and painful under the heel; so I sat down again, took off my shoes, and flung them away. ‘I awakened Weena, and we went down into the wood, now green and pleasant instead of black and forbidding. We found some fruit wherewith to break our fast. We soon met others of the dainty ones, laughing and dancing in the sunlight as though there was no such thing in nature as the night. And then I thought once more of the meat that I had seen. I felt assured now of what it was, and from the bottom of my heart I pitied this last feeble rill from the great flood of humanity. Clearly, at some time in the Long-Ago of human decay the Morlocks’ food had run short. Possibly they had
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 57—9
lived on rats and such-like vermin. Even now man is far less discriminating and exclusive in his food than he was—far less than any monkey. His prejudice against human flesh is no deep-seated instinct. And so these inhuman sons of men—! I tried to look at the thing in a scientific spirit. After all, they were less human and more remote than our cannibal ancestors of three or four thousand years ago. And the intelligence that would have made this state of things a torment had gone. Why should I trouble myself? These Eloi were mere fatted cattle, which the ant-like Morlocks preserved and preyed upon—probably saw to the breeding of. And there was Weena dancing at my side! ‘Then I tried to preserve myself from the horror that was coming upon me, by regarding it as a rigorous punishment of human selfishness. Man had been content to live in ease and delight upon the labours of his fellow-man, had taken Necessity as his watchword and excuse, and in the fullness of time Necessity had come home to him. I even tried a Carlyle-like scorn of this wretched aristocracy in decay. But this attitude of mind was impossible. However great their intellectual degradation, the Eloi had kept too much of the human form not to claim my sympathy, and to make me perforce a sharer in their degradation and their Fear. ‘I had at that time very vague ideas as to the course I should pursue. My first was to secure some safe place of refuge, and to make myself such arms of metal or stone as I could contrive. That necessity was immediate. In the next place, I hoped to procure some means of fire, so that I should have the weapon of a torch at hand, for nothing, I knew, would be more efficient against these Morlocks. Then I wanted to arrange some contrivance to break open the doors of bronze under the White Sphinx. I had in mind a battering ram. I had a persuasion that if I could enter those doors and carry a blaze of light before me I should discover the Time Machine and escape. I could not imagine the Morlocks were strong enough to move it far away. Weena I had resolved to bring with me to our own time. And turning such schemes over in my mind I pursued our way towards the building which my fancy had chosen as our dwelling.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 58—1
Lesson 58
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Corroded, Miscellaneous, Oblique, Preoccupation, Transversely, Vestige, Diminution Materials Needed: Writing journal, Dictionary, Elton John’s song “Rocket Man” and David Bowie’s song “Space Oddity”(if the Extension activity will be conducted in class) Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: H.G. Wells was a socialist and critic of the wealthy aristocrats of society. However, with whom in this story does the Time Traveller sympathize and why? Extensions: Play these two songs that have a science fiction theme: Elton John’s “Rocket Man,” and the other is David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” The student may choose to do one of the following as an extension activity relating to the above songs: Write original song lyrics about The Time Machine, expressing how the Time Traveler feels about society Perform the song Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin today’s Lesson by going over the student’s responses and grade on the quiz covering Chapters Four–Six. Discuss quiz results with the student to clarify answers and clear up any confusion evident from the student’s performance on the quiz.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 58—2
Chapter Eight Study Questions Answer Key: What does the Time Traveller conclude about literary effort when he finds the ruins of the library? He concludes that all of the writings will just disintegrate into an old, dusty museum. What weapons does the Time Traveller take from the museum? A box of matches and a bottle of camphor. How does the museum function symbolically in the story? Answers will vary What does a museum represent? Answers will vary Lesson Wrap-Up: End the Lesson by stimulating the student to think about the following: Values are an important part of each society’s culture, as the Time Traveller notices. Think about the values that are important to you and your family.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 58—1
Lesson 58
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
H.G. Wells was a socialist and critic of the wealthy aristocrats of society. However, with whom in this story does the Time Traveller sympathize and why? Continue this Lesson by working on the Vocabulary terms, using the Frayer Squares. Once you have finished the Vocabulary, you may read Chapter Eight of The Time Machine! After reading, respond to Chapter Eight’s study questions in writing. Use complete sentences for your answers. When you have finished your responses, you will discuss your answers. Lesson Wrap-Up: Values are an important part of each society’s culture, as the Time Traveller notices. Think about the values that are important to you and your family.
Chapter Eight Study Questions What does the Time Traveller conclude about literary effort when he finds the ruins of the library?
What weapons does the Time Traveller take from the museum?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 58—2
How does the museum function symbolically in the story?
What does a museum represent?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 58—3
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [1898] VIII ‘I found the Palace of Green Porcelain, when we approached it about noon, deserted and falling into ruin. Only ragged vestiges of glass remained in its windows, and great sheets of the green facing had fallen away from the corroded metallic framework. It lay very high upon a turfy down, and looking north-eastward before I entered it, I was surprised to see a large estuary, or even creek, where I judged Wandsworth and Battersea must once have been. I thought then—though I never followed up the thought—of what might have happened, or might be happening, to the living things in the sea. ‘The material of the Palace proved on examination to be indeed porcelain, and along the face of it I saw an inscription in some unknown character. I thought, rather foolishly, that Weena might help me to interpret this, but I only learned that the bare idea of writing had never entered her head. She always seemed to me, I fancy, more human than she was, perhaps because her affection was so human. ‘Within the big valves of the door—which were open and broken—we found, instead of the customary hall, a long gallery lit by many side windows. At the first glance I was reminded of a museum. The tiled floor was thick with dust, and a remarkable array of miscellaneous objects was shrouded in the same grey covering. Then I perceived, standing strange and gaunt in the centre of the hall, what was clearly the lower part of a huge skeleton. I recognized by the oblique feet that it was some extinct creature after the fashion of the Megatherium. The skull and the upper bones lay beside it in the thick dust, and in one place, where rain-water had dropped through a leak in the roof, the thing itself had been worn away. Further in the gallery was the huge skeleton barrel of a Brontosaurus. My museum hypothesis was confirmed. Going towards the side I found what appeared to be sloping shelves, and clearing away the thick dust, I found the old familiar glass cases of our own time. But they must have been air-tight to judge from the fair preservation of some of their contents. ‘Clearly we stood among the ruins of some latter-day South Kensington! Here, apparently, was the Palaeontological Section, and a very splendid array of fossils it must have been, though the inevitable process of decay that had been staved off for a time, and had, through the extinction of bacteria and fungi, lost ninety-nine hundredths of its force, was nevertheless, with extreme sureness if with extreme slowness at work again upon all its treasures. Here and there I found traces of the little people in the shape of rare fossils broken to pieces or threaded in strings upon reeds. And the cases had in some instances been bodily removed—by the Morlocks as I judged. The place was very silent. The thick dust deadened our footsteps. Weena, who had been rolling a sea urchin down the sloping glass of a case, presently came, as I stared about me, and very quietly took my hand and stood beside me. ‘And at first I was so much surprised by this ancient monument of an intellectual age, that I gave no thought to the possibilities it presented. Even my preoccupation about the Time Machine receded a little from my mind.
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‘To judge from the size of the place, this Palace of Green Porcelain had a great deal more in it than a Gallery of Palaeontology; possibly historical galleries; it might be, even a library! To me, at least in my present circumstances, these would be vastly more interesting than this spectacle of oldtime geology in decay. Exploring, I found another short gallery running transversely to the first. This appeared to be devoted to minerals, and the sight of a block of sulphur set my mind running on gunpowder. But I could find no saltpeter; indeed, no nitrates of any kind. Doubtless they had deliquesced ages ago. Yet the sulphur hung in my mind, and set up a train of thinking. As for the rest of the contents of that gallery, though on the whole they were the best preserved of all I saw, I had little interest. I am no specialist in mineralogy, and I went on down a very ruinous aisle running parallel to the first hall I had entered. Apparently this section had been devoted to natural history, but everything had long since passed out of recognition. A few shrivelled and blackened vestiges of what had once been stuffed animals, desiccated mummies in jars that had once held spirit, a brown dust of departed plants: that was all! I was sorry for that, because I should have been glad to trace the patent readjustments by which the conquest of animated nature had been attained. Then we came to a gallery of simply colossal proportions, but singularly ill-lit, the floor of it running downward at a slight angle from the end at which I entered. At intervals white globes hung from the ceiling—many of them cracked and smashed—which suggested that originally the place had been artificially lit. Here I was more in my element, for rising on either side of me were the huge bulks of big machines, all greatly corroded and many broken down, but some still fairly complete. You know I have a certain weakness for mechanism, and I was inclined to linger among these; the more so as for the most part they had the interest of puzzles, and I could make only the vaguest guesses at what they were for. I fancied that if I could solve their puzzles I should find myself in possession of powers that might be of use against the Morlocks. ‘Suddenly Weena came very close to my side. So suddenly that she startled me. Had it not been for her I do not think I should have noticed that the floor of the gallery sloped at all. [Footnote: It may be, of course, that the floor did not slope, but that the museum was built into the side of a hill.—ED.] The end I had come in at was quite above ground, and was lit by rare slit-like windows. As you went down the length, the ground came up against these windows, until at last there was a pit like the “area” of a London house before each, and only a narrow line of daylight at the top. I went slowly along, puzzling about the machines, and had been too intent upon them to notice the gradual diminution of the light, until Weena’s increasing apprehensions drew my attention. Then I saw that the gallery ran down at last into a thick darkness. I hesitated, and then, as I looked round me, I saw that the dust was less abundant and its surface less even. Further away towards the dimness, it appeared to be broken by a number of small narrow footprints. My sense of the immediate presence of the Morlocks revived at that. I felt that I was wasting my time in the academic examination of machinery. I called to mind that it was already far advanced in the afternoon, and that I had still no weapon, no refuge, and no means of making a fire. And then down in the remote blackness of the gallery I heard a peculiar pattering, and the same odd noises I had heard down the well. ‘I took Weena’s hand. Then, struck with a sudden idea, I left her and turned to a machine from which projected a lever not unlike those in a signal-box. Clambering upon the stand, and grasping this lever in my hands, I put all my weight upon it sideways. Suddenly Weena, deserted in the central aisle, began to whimper. I had judged the strength of the lever pretty correctly, for it snapped after a minute’s strain, and I rejoined her with a mace in my hand more than sufficient, I judged, for any
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 58—5
Morlock skull I might encounter. And I longed very much to kill a Morlock or so. Very inhuman, you may think, to want to go killing one’s own descendants! But it was impossible, somehow, to feel any humanity in the things. Only my disinclination to leave Weena, and a persuasion that if I began to slake my thirst for murder my Time Machine might suffer, restrained me from going straight down the gallery and killing the brutes I heard. ‘Well, mace in one hand and Weena in the other, I went out of that gallery and into another and still larger one, which at the first glance reminded me of a military chapel hung with tattered flags. The brown and charred rags that hung from the sides of it, I presently recognized as the decaying vestiges of books. They had long since dropped to pieces, and every semblance of print had left them. But here and there were warped boards and cracked metallic clasps that told the tale well enough. Had I been a literary man I might, perhaps, have moralized upon the futility of all ambition. But as it was, the thing that struck me with keenest force was the enormous waste of labour to which this sombre wilderness of rotting paper testified. At the time I will confess that I thought chiefly of the Philosophical Transactions and my own seventeen papers upon physical optics. ‘Then, going up a broad staircase, we came to what may once have been a gallery of technical chemistry. And here I had not a little hope of useful discoveries. Except at one end where the roof had collapsed, this gallery was well preserved. I went eagerly to every unbroken case. And at last, in one of the really air-tight cases, I found a box of matches. Very eagerly I tried them. They were perfectly good. They were not even damp. I turned to Weena. “Dance,” I cried to her in her own tongue. For now I had a weapon indeed against the horrible creatures we feared. And so, in that derelict museum, upon the thick soft carpeting of dust, to Weena’s huge delight, I solemnly performed a kind of composite dance, whistling The Land of the Leal as cheerfully as I could. In part it was a modest cancan, in part a step dance, in part a skirt-dance (so far as my tail-coat permitted), and in part original. For I am naturally inventive, as you know. ‘Now, I still think that for this box of matches to have escaped the wear of time for immemorial years was a most strange, as for me it was a most fortunate thing. Yet, oddly enough, I found a far unlikelier substance, and that was camphor. I found it in a sealed jar, that by chance, I suppose, had been really hermetically sealed. I fancied at first that it was paraffin wax, and smashed the glass accordingly. But the odour of camphor was unmistakable. In the universal decay this volatile substance had chanced to survive, perhaps through many thousands of centuries. It reminded me of a sepia painting I had once seen done from the ink of a fossil Belemnite that must have perished and become fossilized millions of years ago. I was about to throw it away, but I remembered that it was inflammable and burned with a good bright flame—was, in fact, an excellent candle—and I put it in my pocket. I found no explosives, however, nor any means of breaking down the bronze doors. As yet my iron crowbar was the most helpful thing I had chanced upon. Nevertheless I left that gallery greatly elated. ‘I cannot tell you all the story of that long afternoon. It would require a great effort of memory to recall my explorations in at all the proper order. I remember a long gallery of rusting stands of arms, and how I hesitated between my crowbar and a hatchet or a sword. I could not carry both, however, and my bar of iron promised best against the bronze gates. There were numbers of guns, pistols, and rifles. The most were masses of rust, but many were of some new metal, and still fairly sound. But any cartridges or powder there may once have been had rotted into dust. One corner
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 58—6
I saw was charred and shattered; perhaps, I thought, by an explosion among the specimens. In another place was a vast array of idols—Polynesian, Mexican, Grecian, Phoenician, every country on earth I should think. And here, yielding to an irresistible impulse, I wrote my name upon the nose of a steatite monster from South America that particularly took my fancy. ‘As the evening drew on, my interest waned. I went through gallery after gallery, dusty, silent, often ruinous, the exhibits sometimes mere heaps of rust and lignite, sometimes fresher. In one place I suddenly found myself near the model of a tin-mine, and then by the merest accident I discovered, in an air-tight case, two dynamite cartridges! I shouted “Eureka!” and smashed the case with joy. Then came a doubt. I hesitated. Then, selecting a little side gallery, I made my essay. I never felt such a disappointment as I did in waiting five, ten, fifteen minutes for an explosion that never came. Of course the things were dummies, as I might have guessed from their presence. I really believe that had they not been so, I should have rushed off incontinently and blown Sphinx, bronze doors, and (as it proved) my chances of finding the Time Machine, all together into non-existence. ‘It was after that, I think, that we came to a little open court within the palace. It was turfed, and had three fruit-trees. So we rested and refreshed ourselves. Towards sunset I began to consider our position. Night was creeping upon us, and my inaccessible hiding-place had still to be found. But that troubled me very little now. I had in my possession a thing that was, perhaps, the best of all defences against the Morlocks—I had matches! I had the camphor in my pocket, too, if a blaze were needed. It seemed to me that the best thing we could do would be to pass the night in the open, protected by a fire. In the morning there was the getting of the Time Machine. Towards that, as yet, I had only my iron mace. But now, with my growing knowledge, I felt very differently towards those bronze doors. Up to this, I had refrained from forcing them, largely because of the mystery on the other side. They had never impressed me as being very strong, and I hoped to find my bar of iron not altogether inadequate for the work.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 59—1
Lesson 59
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Impending, Insidious, Camphor, Atrocious, Fermentation, Decadence, Adjacent, Bole, Slumberous, Succulent Materials Needed: Writing journal, Dictionary Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: If you were asked to create a soundtrack for The Time Machine, from what you have read thus far, what songs might you choose to include and why? Supplemental Engagement Activities: Access permitting, download and play a song the student chose; ask the student to point out the lyrics most relevant to The Time Machine. Additional Notes to the Teacher: Pose the Engaging Question to the student and ask her to respond in her Writing Journal. Time permitting, discuss the student’s choice of song or songs. Instruct the student to use the Frayer Squares for each of this Lesson’s Vocabulary terms. Then, assign Chapter Nine of The Time Machine. The student’s writing skills can be assessed in this Lesson by viewing how thoroughly her written answers are to the Study Questions for Chapter Nine—each question should be answered in one paragraph; the paragraph should have: a topic sentence; several sentences using details to support the topic sentence; a concluding sentence which sums up the paragraph.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 59—2
Answers to Chapter Nine Study Questions: Why doesn’t the Time Traveller wait until morning to start the long trip back? He doesn’t want the Morlocks following him through the forest. What do you think of the Time Traveller’s reaction to the loss of Weena? Answers will vary Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to consider the following: The Time Traveller reflects on the unusual nature of fire in this chapter. Fire has played a crucial role in the history of civilization. Think about something else (besides the bare essentials of food, water, and air) that has been extremely important in the history of humans.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 59—1
Lesson 59
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
If you were asked to create a soundtrack for The Time Machine, from what you have read thus far, what songs might you choose to include and why? Complete the Frayer Squares for the Vocabulary terms in Chapter Nine: Impending, Insidious, Camphor, Atrocious, Fermentation, Decadence, Adjacent, Bole, Slumberous, Succulent Now Read Chapter Nine of The Time Machine! When you have finished reading, respond to the study questions for Chapter Nine by writing at least one paragraph for each question. Your answers should include a topic sentence, several sentences using details to support the topic sentence, and a concluding sentence which sums up the paragraph. Lesson Wrap-Up: The Time Traveller reflects on the unusual nature of fire in this chapter. Fire has played a crucial role in the history of civilization. Think about something else (besides the bare essentials of food, water, and air) that has been extremely important in the history of humans.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 59—2
Chapter Nine Study Questions Why doesn’t the Time Traveller wait until morning to start the long trip back?
What do you think of the Time Traveller’s reaction to the loss of Weena?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 59—3
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [1898] IX ‘We emerged from the palace while the sun was still in part above the horizon. I was determined to reach the White Sphinx early the next morning, and ere the dusk I purposed pushing through the woods that had stopped me on the previous journey. My plan was to go as far as possible that night, and then, building a fire, to sleep in the protection of its glare. Accordingly, as we went along I gathered any sticks or dried grass I saw, and presently had my arms full of such litter. Thus loaded, our progress was slower than I had anticipated, and besides Weena was tired. And I began to suffer from sleepiness too; so that it was full night before we reached the wood. Upon the shrubby hill of its edge Weena would have stopped, fearing the darkness before us; but a singular sense of impending calamity, that should indeed have served me as a warning, drove me onward. I had been without sleep for a night and two days, and I was feverish and irritable. I felt sleep coming upon me, and the Morlocks with it. ‘While we hesitated, among the black bushes behind us, and dim against their blackness, I saw three crouching figures. There was scrub and long grass all about us, and I did not feel safe from their insidious approach. The forest, I calculated, was rather less than a mile across. If we could get through it to the bare hill-side, there, as it seemed to me, was an altogether safer resting-place; I thought that with my matches and my camphor I could contrive to keep my path illuminated through the woods. Yet it was evident that if I was to flourish matches with my hands I should have to abandon my firewood; so, rather reluctantly, I put it down. And then it came into my head that I would amaze our friends behind by lighting it. I was to discover the atrocious folly of this proceeding, but it came to my mind as an ingenious move for covering our retreat. ‘I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate. The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts. Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire. Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame. In this decadence, too, the art of firemaking had been forgotten on the earth. The red tongues that went licking up my heap of wood were an altogether new and strange thing to Weena. ‘She wanted to run to it and play with it. I believe she would have cast herself into it had I not restrained her. But I caught her up, and in spite of her struggles, plunged boldly before me into the wood. For a little way the glare of my fire lit the path. Looking back presently, I could see, through the crowded stems, that from my heap of sticks the blaze had spread to some bushes adjacent, and a curved line of fire was creeping up the grass of the hill. I laughed at that, and turned again to the dark trees before me. It was very black, and Weena clung to me convulsively, but there was still, as my eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, sufficient light for me to avoid the stems. Overhead it was simply black, except where a gap of remote blue sky shone down upon us here and there. I struck none of my matches because I had no hand free. Upon my left arm I carried my little one, in my right hand I had my iron bar. ‘For some way I heard nothing but the crackling twigs under my feet, the faint rustle of the
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 59—4
breeze above, and my own breathing and the throb of the blood-vessels in my ears. Then I seemed to know of a pattering about me. I pushed on grimly. The pattering grew more distinct, and then I caught the same queer sound and voices I had heard in the Under-world. There were evidently several of the Morlocks, and they were closing in upon me. Indeed, in another minute I felt a tug at my coat, then something at my arm. And Weena shivered violently, and became quite still. ‘It was time for a match. But to get one I must put her down. I did so, and, as I fumbled with my pocket, a struggle began in the darkness about my knees, perfectly silent on her part and with the same peculiar cooing sounds from the Morlocks. Soft little hands, too, were creeping over my coat and back, touching even my neck. Then the match scratched and fizzed. I held it flaring, and saw the white backs of the Morlocks in flight amid the trees. I hastily took a lump of camphor from my pocket, and prepared to light it as soon as the match should wane. Then I looked at Weena. She was lying clutching my feet and quite motionless, with her face to the ground. With a sudden fright I stooped to her. She seemed scarcely to breathe. I lit the block of camphor and flung it to the ground, and as it split and flared up and drove back the Morlocks and the shadows, I knelt down and lifted her. The wood behind seemed full of the stir and murmur of a great company! ‘She seemed to have fainted. I put her carefully upon my shoulder and rose to push on, and then there came a horrible realization. In manoeuvring with my matches and Weena, I had turned myself about several times, and now I had not the faintest idea in what direction lay my path. For all I knew, I might be facing back towards the Palace of Green Porcelain. I found myself in a cold sweat. I had to think rapidly what to do. I determined to build a fire and encamp where we were. I put Weena, still motionless, down upon a turfy bole, and very hastily, as my first lump of camphor waned, I began collecting sticks and leaves. Here and there out of the darkness round me the Morlocks’ eyes shone like carbuncles. ‘The camphor flickered and went out. I lit a match, and as I did so, two white forms that had been approaching Weena dashed hastily away. One was so blinded by the light that he came straight for me, and I felt his bones grind under the blow of my fist. He gave a whoop of dismay, staggered a little way, and fell down. I lit another piece of camphor, and went on gathering my bonfire. Presently I noticed how dry was some of the foliage above me, for since my arrival on the Time Machine, a matter of a week, no rain had fallen. So, instead of casting about among the trees for fallen twigs, I began leaping up and dragging down branches. Very soon I had a choking smoky fire of green wood and dry sticks, and could economize my camphor. Then I turned to where Weena lay beside my iron mace. I tried what I could to revive her, but she lay like one dead. I could not even satisfy myself whether or not she breathed. ‘Now, the smoke of the fire beat over towards me, and it must have made me heavy of a sudden. Moreover, the vapour of camphor was in the air. My fire would not need replenishing for an hour or so. I felt very weary after my exertion, and sat down. The wood, too, was full of a slumbrous murmur that I did not understand. I seemed just to nod and open my eyes. But all was dark, and the Morlocks had their hands upon me. Flinging off their clinging fingers I hastily felt in my pocket for the match-box, and—it had gone! Then they gripped and closed with me again. In a moment I knew what had happened. I had slept, and my fire had gone out, and the bitterness of death came over my soul. The forest seemed full of the smell of burning wood. I was caught by the neck, by the hair, by the arms, and pulled down. It was indescribably horrible in the darkness to feel all these
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 59—5
soft creatures heaped upon me. I felt as if I was in a monstrous spider’s web. I was overpowered, and went down. I felt little teeth nipping at my neck. I rolled over, and as I did so my hand came against my iron lever. It gave me strength. I struggled up, shaking the human rats from me, and, holding the bar short, I thrust where I judged their faces might be. I could feel the succulent giving of flesh and bone under my blows, and for a moment I was free. ‘The strange exultation that so often seems to accompany hard fighting came upon me. I knew that both I and Weena were lost, but I determined to make the Morlocks pay for their meat. I stood with my back to a tree, swinging the iron bar before me. The whole wood was full of the stir and cries of them. A minute passed. Their voices seemed to rise to a higher pitch of excitement, and their movements grew faster. Yet none came within reach. I stood glaring at the blackness. Then suddenly came hope. What if the Morlocks were afraid? And close on the heels of that came a strange thing. The darkness seemed to grow luminous. Very dimly I began to see the Morlocks about me—three battered at my feet—and then I recognized, with incredulous surprise, that the others were running, in an incessant stream, as it seemed, from behind me, and away through the wood in front. And their backs seemed no longer white, but reddish. As I stood agape, I saw a little red spark go drifting across a gap of starlight between the branches, and vanish. And at that I understood the smell of burning wood, the slumbrous murmur that was growing now into a gusty roar, the red glow, and the Morlocks’ flight. ‘Stepping out from behind my tree and looking back, I saw, through the black pillars of the nearer trees, the flames of the burning forest. It was my first fire coming after me. With that I looked for Weena, but she was gone. The hissing and crackling behind me, the explosive thud as each fresh tree burst into flame, left little time for reflection. My iron bar still gripped, I followed in the Morlocks’ path. It was a close race. Once the flames crept forward so swiftly on my right as I ran that I was outflanked and had to strike off to the left. But at last I emerged upon a small open space, and as I did so, a Morlock came blundering towards me, and past me, and went on straight into the fire! ‘And now I was to see the most weird and horrible thing, I think, of all that I beheld in that future age. This whole space was as bright as day with the reflection of the fire. In the centre was a hillock or tumulus, surmounted by a scorched hawthorn. Beyond this was another arm of the burning forest, with yellow tongues already writhing from it, completely encircling the space with a fence of fire. Upon the hill-side were some thirty or forty Morlocks, dazzled by the light and heat, and blundering hither and thither against each other in their bewilderment. At first I did not realize their blindness, and struck furiously at them with my bar, in a frenzy of fear, as they approached me, killing one and crippling several more. But when I had watched the gestures of one of them groping under the hawthorn against the red sky, and heard their moans, I was assured of their absolute helplessness and misery in the glare, and I struck no more of them. ‘Yet every now and then one would come straight towards me, setting loose a quivering horror that made me quick to elude him. At one time the flames died down somewhat, and I feared the foul creatures would presently be able to see me. I was thinking of beginning the fight by killing some of them before this should happen; but the fire burst out again brightly, and I stayed my hand. I walked about the hill among them and avoided them, looking for some trace of Weena. But Weena was gone.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 59—6
‘At last I sat down on the summit of the hillock, and watched this strange incredible company of blind things groping to and fro, and making uncanny noises to each other, as the glare of the fire beat on them. The coiling uprush of smoke streamed across the sky, and through the rare tatters of that red canopy, remote as though they belonged to another universe, shone the little stars. Two or three Morlocks came blundering into me, and I drove them off with blows of my fists, trembling as I did so. ‘For the most part of that night I was persuaded it was a nightmare. I bit myself and screamed in a passionate desire to awake. I beat the ground with my hands, and got up and sat down again, and wandered here and there, and again sat down. Then I would fall to rubbing my eyes and calling upon God to let me awake. Thrice I saw Morlocks put their heads down in a kind of agony and rush into the flames. But, at last, above the subsiding red of the fire, above the streaming masses of black smoke and the whitening and blackening tree stumps, and the diminishing numbers of these dim creatures, came the white light of the day. ‘I searched again for traces of Weena, but there were none. It was plain that they had left her poor little body in the forest. I cannot describe how it relieved me to think that it had escaped the awful fate to which it seemed destined. As I thought of that, I was almost moved to begin a massacre of the helpless abominations about me, but I contained myself. The hillock, as I have said, was a kind of island in the forest. From its summit I could now make out through a haze of smoke the Palace of Green Porcelain, and from that I could get my bearings for the White Sphinx. And so, leaving the remnant of these damned souls still going hither and thither and moaning, as the day grew clearer, I tied some grass about my feet and limped on across smoking ashes and among black stems, that still pulsated internally with fire, towards the hiding-place of the Time Machine. I walked slowly, for I was almost exhausted, as well as lame, and I felt the intensest wretchedness for the horrible death of little Weena. It seemed an overwhelming calamity. Now, in this old familiar room, it is more like the sorrow of a dream than an actual loss. But that morning it left me absolutely lonely again—terribly alone. I began to think of this house of mine, of this fireside, of some of you, and with such thoughts came a longing that was pain. ‘But as I walked over the smoking ashes under the bright morning sky, I made a discovery. In my trouser pocket were still some loose matches. The box must have leaked before it was lost.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 60—1
Lesson 60
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Cupola, Steadfast, Versatility, Disjointed, Stave, Tranquil, Meek, Inclination, Abominable Materials Needed: Writing journal, Dictionary Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: If you were to choose one scene or chapter from the story that you have read thus far to rewrite, which scene or chapter would you choose and why? What would you change? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Allow time for the student to write his answer to the Engaging Question in at least five complete sentences. Assign the Vocabulary terms. Tell the student to continue the text with Chapter Ten from The Time Machine, to be read either aloud together or silently. Ask the student to respond to the study questions for Chapter Ten in writing, and then lead a discussion of the responses. Ask the student to write a letter to the Time Traveller (in proper letter format) in which the student explains why she agrees or disagrees with the specific actions the Time Traveler has taken during the story. In the letter, the student should also explain to the Time Traveler what she feels he should do next in the story and why. A proper letter format template is included in this Lesson.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 60—2
Answers to Chapter Ten Study Questions What does the Time Traveller conclude about mankind’s intellectual advancements in this chapter? Once humans became comfortable and secure they stopped making intellectual advancements. What does the Time Traveller feel caused the downfall of humanity? Answers will vary but most likely will include "the feeding of the underworld becoming disjointed, etc.". What is ironic about his conclusions? Answers will vary Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student if she thinks she convinced or inspired the Time Traveller in her letter.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 60—1
Lesson 60
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
If you were to choose one scene or chapter from the story that you have read thus far to rewrite, which scene or chapter would you choose and why? What would you change? You will continue working on Vocabulary in this Lesson. Complete your Vocabulary work for Chapter Ten of The Time Machine by using the Frayer Square technique. Today, we will be reading Chapter Ten of The Time Machine. This can either be read aloud together or silently. When you are done reading, respond to the study questions for Chapter Ten in writing. Be ready to discuss your responses.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 60—2
Chapter Ten Study Questions What does the Time Traveller conclude about mankind’s intellectual advancements in this chapter?
What does the Time Traveller feel caused the downfall of humanity?
What is ironic about his conclusions?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 60—3
Writing a Letter in Proper Letter Format For the remaining part of this Lesson, you will be writing a letter to the Time Traveller. Using the proper letter format shown in this Lesson, explain why you agree or disagree with the specific actions the Time Traveller has taken throughout the story. In the letter, also explain to the Time Traveller what you feel he should do next in the story and why. Use your best penmanship. Be sure you proofread your work. The letter must meet the following requirements: Be at least one page hand written Be neat and free of grammatical or spelling errors Follow the letter format given
Proper Letter Format Your present street address City, State, Zip Code Date of writing
Mr./Ms. First Name Last Name Job Title Organization/Company Name Street Address City, State, Zip Code Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
Body of Letter
Sincerely, (Your handwritten signature) Type your name
Lesson Wrap-Up: Do you think you have convinced or inspired the Time Traveller in your letter?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 60—4
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [1898] X ‘About eight or nine in the morning I came to the same seat of yellow metal from which I had viewed the world upon the evening of my arrival. I thought of my hasty conclusions upon that evening and could not refrain from laughing bitterly at my confidence. Here was the same beautiful scene, the same abundant foliage, the same splendid palaces and magnificent ruins, the same silver river running between its fertile banks. The gay robes of the beautiful people moved hither and thither among the trees. Some were bathing in exactly the place where I had saved Weena, and that suddenly gave me a keen stab of pain. And like blots upon the landscape rose the cupolas above the ways to the Under-world. I understood now what all the beauty of the Over-world people covered. Very pleasant was their day, as pleasant as the day of the cattle in the field. Like the cattle, they knew of no enemies and provided against no needs. And their end was the same. ‘I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been. It had committed suicide. It had set itself steadfastly towards comfort and ease, a balanced society with security and permanency as its watchword, it had attained its hopes—to come to this at last. Once, life and property must have reached almost absolute safety. The rich had been assured of his wealth and comfort, the toiler assured of his life and work. No doubt in that perfect world there had been no unemployed problem, no social question left unsolved. And a great quiet had followed. ‘It is a law of nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger, and trouble. An animal perfectly in harmony with its environment is a perfect mechanism. Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no change and no need of change. Only those animals partake of intelligence that have to meet a huge variety of needs and dangers. ‘So, as I see it, the Upper-world man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry. But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency. Apparently as time went on, the feeding of the Under-world, however it was effected, had become disjointed. Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below. The Under-world being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper. And when other meat failed them, they turned to what old habit had hitherto forbidden. So I say I saw it in my last view of the world of Eight Hundred and Two Thousand Seven Hundred and One. It may be as wrong an explanation as mortal wit could invent. It is how the thing shaped itself to me, and as that I give it to you. ‘After the fatigues, excitements, and terrors of the past days, and in spite of my grief, this seat and the tranquil view and the warm sunlight were very pleasant. I was very tired and sleepy, and soon my theorizing passed into dozing. Catching myself at that, I took my own hint, and spreading myself out upon the turf I had a long and refreshing sleep. ‘I awoke a little before sunsetting. I now felt safe against being caught napping by the Morlocks,
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 60—5
and, stretching myself, I came on down the hill towards the White Sphinx. I had my crowbar in one hand, and the other hand played with the matches in my pocket. ‘And now came a most unexpected thing. As I approached the pedestal of the sphinx I found the bronze valves were open. They had slid down into grooves. ‘At that I stopped short before them, hesitating to enter. ‘Within was a small apartment, and on a raised place in the corner of this was the Time Machine. I had the small levers in my pocket. So here, after all my elaborate preparations for the siege of the White Sphinx, was a meek surrender. I threw my iron bar away, almost sorry not to use it. ‘A sudden thought came into my head as I stooped towards the portal. For once, at least, I grasped the mental operations of the Morlocks. Suppressing a strong inclination to laugh, I stepped through the bronze frame and up to the Time Machine. I was surprised to find it had been carefully oiled and cleaned. I have suspected since that the Morlocks had even partially taken it to pieces while trying in their dim way to grasp its purpose. ‘Now as I stood and examined it, finding a pleasure in the mere touch of the contrivance, the thing I had expected happened. The bronze panels suddenly slid up and struck the frame with a clang. I was in the dark—trapped. So the Morlocks thought. At that I chuckled gleefully. ‘I could already hear their murmuring laughter as they came towards me. Very calmly I tried to strike the match. I had only to fix on the levers and depart then like a ghost. But I had overlooked one little thing. The matches were of that abominable kind that light only on the box. ‘You may imagine how all my calm vanished. The little brutes were close upon me. One touched me. I made a sweeping blow in the dark at them with the levers, and began to scramble into the saddle of the machine. Then came one hand upon me and then another. Then I had simply to fight against their persistent fingers for my levers, and at the same time feel for the studs over which these fitted. One, indeed, they almost got away from me. As it slipped from my hand, I had to butt in the dark with my head—I could hear the Morlock’s skull ring—to recover it. It was a nearer thing than the fight in the forest, I think, this last scramble. ‘But at last the lever was fitted and pulled over. The clinging hands slipped from me. The darkness presently fell from my eyes. I found myself in the same grey light and tumult I have already described.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 61—1
Lesson 61
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Cupola, Steadfast, Versatility, Disjointed, Stave, Tranquil, Meek, Inclination, Contrivance, Abominable Materials Needed: Writing Journal, copies of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine, Dictionary Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: Considering that he is in possession of a time travel device, how might the Time Traveller have used it to save Weena? Extensions: The student may choose to use the "step-by-step" listing to create a “how-to” book or manual, illustrating these steps, complete with pictures and illustrations that show each step. Additional Notes to the Teacher: Ask the Engaging Question and allow time for the student to respond in the writing journal in at least five sentences. Ask the student to complete the Frayer Squares for the new Vocabulary terms corresponding to Chapter Eleven of The Time Machine. Read Chapter Eleven aloud or ask the student to complete the reading silently. Give the student time to respond to the study questions that correspond to this chapter. For the assessment, ask the student to make a step-by-step list of how to build a time machine based upon the description given in the story of how the Time Traveller created and built his time machine. Be sure that the student is very specific in explaining each step.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 61—2
Chapter Eleven Study Questions and Answer Key: What is the tone of this chapter? How does Wells create this tone? Pessimistic; Answers will vary What images or impressions are most striking in this chapter? Answers will vary Why does the Time Traveller decide to visit the end of the earth? He is curious of the earth’s fate. Lesson Wrap-Up: Remind the student to keep his Vocabulary terms organized and in a convenient place. Since he will be tested on them when he is finished reading The Time Machine, mention that it is a good idea to start reviewing them now.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 61—1
Lesson 61
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Considering that he is in possession of a time travel device, how might the Time Traveller have used it to save Weena? Continue to complete the Frayer Squares for the new Vocabulary terms corresponding to Chapter Eleven of The Time Machine. In this Lesson, we will read Chapter Eleven of The Time Machine aloud together or you will read it silently on your own. You will then complete the study questions that correspond to this chapter. As you are reading, pay particular attention to the steps of building a time machine. Write a step-by-step list of how to build a time machine based upon the descriptions given in the story of how the Time Traveller created and built his time machine. When you have finished listing your steps, be sure to specifically explain each step. Lesson Wrap-Up: Remember to keep your Vocabulary terms organized and in a convenient place. You will be tested on them when you are finished reading The Time Machine. It would be a good idea to start reviewing them now. Review the whole list every time new words are added. It will help you to do well on the test.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 61—2
Chapter Eleven Study Questions What is the tone of this chapter? How does Wells create this tone?
What images or impressions are most striking in this chapter?
Why does the Time Traveller decide to visit the end of the earth?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 61—3
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells XI ‘I have already told you of the sickness and confusion that comes with time travelling. And this time I was not seated properly in the saddle, but sideways and in an unstable fashion. For an indefinite time I clung to the machine as it swayed and vibrated, quite unheeding how I went, and when I brought myself to look at the dials again I was amazed to find where I had arrived. One dial records days, and another thousands of days, another millions of days, and another thousands of millions. Now, instead of reversing the levers, I had pulled them over so as to go forward with them, and when I came to look at these indicators I found that the thousands hand was sweeping round as fast as the seconds hand of a watch—into futurity. ‘As I drove on, a peculiar change crept over the appearance of things. The palpitating greyness grew darker; then—though I was still travelling with prodigious velocity—the blinking succession of day and night, which was usually indicative of a slower pace, returned, and grew more and more marked. This puzzled me very much at first. The alternations of night and day grew slower and slower, and so did the passage of the sun across the sky, until they seemed to stretch through centuries. At last a steady twilight brooded over the earth, a twilight only broken now and then when a comet glared across the darkling sky. The band of light that had indicated the sun had long since disappeared; for the sun had ceased to set—it simply rose and fell in the west, and grew ever broader and more red. All trace of the moon had vanished. The circling of the stars, growing slower and slower, had given place to creeping points of light. At last, some time before I stopped, the sun, red and very large, halted motionless upon the horizon, a vast dome glowing with a dull heat, and now and then suffering a momentary extinction. At one time it had for a little while glowed more brilliantly again, but it speedily reverted to its sullen red heat. I perceived by this slowing down of its rising and setting that the work of the tidal drag was done. The earth had come to rest with one face to the sun, even as in our own time the moon faces the earth. Very cautiously, for I remembered my former headlong fall, I began to reverse my motion. Slower and slower went the circling hands until the thousands one seemed motionless and the daily one was no longer a mere mist upon its scale. Still slower, until the dim outlines of a desolate beach grew visible. ‘I stopped very gently and sat upon the Time Machine, looking round. The sky was no longer blue. North-eastward it was inky black, and out of the blackness shone brightly and steadily the pale white stars. Overhead it was a deep Indian red and starless, and south-eastward it grew brighter to a glowing scarlet where, cut by the horizon, lay the huge hull of the sun, red and motionless. The rocks about me were of a harsh reddish colour, and all the trace of life that I could see at first was the intensely green vegetation that covered every projecting point on their south-eastern face. It was the same rich green that one sees on forest moss or on the lichen in caves: plants which like these grow in a perpetual twilight. ‘The machine was standing on a sloping beach. The sea stretched away to the south-west, to rise into a sharp bright horizon against the wan sky. There were no breakers and no waves, for not a breath of wind was stirring. Only a slight oily swell rose and fell like a gentle breathing, and showed that the eternal sea was still moving and living. And along the margin where the water sometimes broke was a thick incrustation of salt—pink under the lurid sky. There was a sense of oppression
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 61—4
in my head, and I noticed that I was breathing very fast. The sensation reminded me of my only experience of mountaineering, and from that I judged the air to be more rarefied than it is now. ‘Far away up the desolate slope I heard a harsh scream, and saw a thing like a huge white butterfly go slanting and fluttering up into the sky and, circling, disappear over some low hillocks beyond. The sound of its voice was so dismal that I shivered and seated myself more firmly upon the machine. Looking round me again, I saw that, quite near, what I had taken to be a reddish mass of rock was moving slowly towards me. Then I saw the thing was really a monstrous crab-like creature. Can you imagine a crab as large as yonder table, with its many legs moving slowly and uncertainly, its big claws swaying, its long antennae, like carters’ whips, waving and feeling, and its stalked eyes gleaming at you on either side of its metallic front? Its back was corrugated and ornamented with ungainly bosses, and a greenish incrustation blotched it here and there. I could see the many palps of its complicated mouth flickering and feeling as it moved. ‘As I stared at this sinister apparition crawling towards me, I felt a tickling on my cheek as though a fly had lighted there. I tried to brush it away with my hand, but in a moment it returned, and almost immediately came another by my ear. I struck at this, and caught something threadlike. It was drawn swiftly out of my hand. With a frightful qualm, I turned, and I saw that I had grasped the antenna of another monster crab that stood just behind me. Its evil eyes were wriggling on their stalks, its mouth was all alive with appetite, and its vast ungainly claws, smeared with an algal slime, were descending upon me. In a moment my hand was on the lever, and I had placed a month between myself and these monsters. But I was still on the same beach, and I saw them distinctly now as soon as I stopped. Dozens of them seemed to be crawling here and there, in the sombre light, among the foliated sheets of intense green. ‘I cannot convey the sense of abominable desolation that hung over the world. The red eastern sky, the northward blackness, the salt Dead Sea, the stony beach crawling with these foul, slowstirring monsters, the uniform poisonous-looking green of the lichenous plants, the thin air that hurts one’s lungs: all contributed to an appalling effect. I moved on a hundred years, and there was the same red sun—a little larger, a little duller—the same dying sea, the same chill air, and the same crowd of earthy crustacea creeping in and out among the green weed and the red rocks. And in the westward sky, I saw a curved pale line like a vast new moon. ‘So I travelled, stopping ever and again, in great strides of a thousand years or more, drawn on by the mystery of the earth’s fate, watching with a strange fascination the sun grow larger and duller in the westward sky, and the life of the old earth ebb away. At last, more than thirty million years hence, the huge red-hot dome of the sun had come to obscure nearly a tenth part of the darkling heavens. Then I stopped once more, for the crawling multitude of crabs had disappeared, and the red beach, save for its livid green liverworts and lichens, seemed lifeless. And now it was flecked with white. A bitter cold assailed me. Rare white flakes ever and again came eddying down. To the north-eastward, the glare of snow lay under the starlight of the sable sky and I could see an undulating crest of hillocks pinkish white. There were fringes of ice along the sea margin, with drifting masses further out; but the main expanse of that salt ocean, all bloody under the eternal sunset, was still unfrozen. ‘I looked about me to see if any traces of animal life remained. A certain indefinable apprehension
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 61—5
still kept me in the saddle of the machine. But I saw nothing moving, in earth or sky or sea. The green slime on the rocks alone testified that life was not extinct. A shallow sandbank had appeared in the sea and the water had receded from the beach. I fancied I saw some black object flopping about upon this bank, but it became motionless as I looked at it, and I judged that my eye had been deceived, and that the black object was merely a rock. The stars in the sky were intensely bright and seemed to me to twinkle very little. ‘Suddenly I noticed that the circular westward outline of the sun had changed; that a concavity, a bay, had appeared in the curve. I saw this grow larger. For a minute perhaps I stared aghast at this blackness that was creeping over the day, and then I realized that an eclipse was beginning. Either the moon or the planet Mercury was passing across the sun’s disk. Naturally, at first I took it to be the moon, but there is much to incline me to believe that what I really saw was the transit of an inner planet passing very near to the earth. ‘The darkness grew apace; a cold wind began to blow in freshening gusts from the east, and the showering white flakes in the air increased in number. From the edge of the sea came a ripple and whisper. Beyond these lifeless sounds the world was silent. Silent? It would be hard to convey the stillness of it. All the sounds of man, the bleating of sheep, the cries of birds, the hum of insects, the stir that makes the background of our lives—all that was over. As the darkness thickened, the eddying flakes grew more abundant, dancing before my eyes; and the cold of the air more intense. At last, one by one, swiftly, one after the other, the white peaks of the distant hills vanished into blackness. The breeze rose to a moaning wind. I saw the black central shadow of the eclipse sweeping towards me. In another moment the pale stars alone were visible. All else was rayless obscurity. The sky was absolutely black. ‘A horror of this great darkness came on me. The cold, that smote to my marrow, and the pain I felt in breathing, overcame me. I shivered, and a deadly nausea seized me. Then like a red-hot bow in the sky appeared the edge of the sun. I got off the machine to recover myself. I felt giddy and incapable of facing the return journey. As I stood sick and confused I saw again the moving thing upon the shoal—there was no mistake now that it was a moving thing—against the red water of the sea. It was a round thing, the size of a football perhaps, or, it may be, bigger, and tentacles trailed down from it; it seemed black against the weltering blood-red water, and it was hopping fitfully about. Then I felt I was fainting. But a terrible dread of lying helpless in that remote and awful twilight sustained me while I clambered upon the saddle.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 62—1
Lesson 62
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Succession, Fluctuating, Decadent, Wholesome, Speculating, Translucent, Gaudy, Substantial, Reminiscence, Meddle Materials Needed: Writing Journal, copies of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine, Dictionary Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: Do you think H.G. Wells was correct in his presentation of the sun’s life cycle in the novel? Explain your answer. Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin this Lesson by discussing the salient points regarding the life cycle of the sun. (See Advance Preparation below). Then, ask the student to respond to the Engaging Question based upon the information you have shared, and the insight gained thus far from reading The Time Machine. Allow enough time for the student to explain in writing the differences between what H.G. Wells described in his story about the sun’s probable life cycle and what scientists feel will actually occur. Assign Chapter Twelve, the Study Questions, and the Vocabulary work.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 62—2
Chapter Twelve Study Questions and Answer Key: Why do you think Wells had the audience disbelieve the Time Traveller’s story? Answers will vary but should suggest that the story is hard to believe and that the Time Traveller’s guests represent the author’s audience. People reading the story probably do not believe that the story is true either. What evidence does Wells provide to indicate the story is true and not one made up by an imaginative inventor? He uses the narrator as an outside source to prove as a witness that the Time Traveller does in fact have a machine that can travel through time. Why do you think that Wells doesn’t tell you what happened to the Time Traveller in the end of the story? Answers will vary Advance Preparation: Do an internet search on the following topic: Life Cycle of the Sun. Select and print out the article that most succinctly provides an overview of the sun’s full life cycle—past, present and predictions for the future. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to think about being in the Time Traveller’s situation whereby he tells a story he believes to be true, but no one believes him. Encourage the student to apply this insight the next time she is in such a situation.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 62—1
Lesson 62
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Do you think H.G. Wells was correct in his presentation of the sun’s life cycle in the novel? Explain your answer. Examine the handout on the life cycle of the sun. Discuss with your teacher the information learned from scientific studies on the sun’s life cycle. Use your writing journal to respond to the handout by explaining the differences between what H. G. Wells described in the story and what scientists believe will actually occur. Begin reading Chapter Twelve and be sure to complete the Frayer Square exercise for the Vocabulary terms. Once you have read the chapter, provide written responses to the Chapter Twelve study questions. Write your answers in complete sentences. Lesson Wrap-Up: The Time Traveller tells a story he believes to be true, but no one believes him. You may have known something to be true that others had a great deal of trouble believing. Think about this story the next time you are in such a situation.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 62—2
Chapter Twelve Study Questions Why do you think Wells had the audience disbelieve the Time Traveller’s story?
What evidence does Wells provide to indicate the story is true and not one made up by an imaginative inventor?
Why do you think that Wells doesn’t tell you what happened to the Time Traveller in the end of the story?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 62—3
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells EPILOGUE XII ‘So I came back. For a long time I must have been insensible upon the machine. The blinking succession of the days and nights was resumed, the sun got golden again, the sky blue. I breathed with greater freedom. The fluctuating contours of the land ebbed and flowed. The hands spun backward upon the dials. At last I saw again the dim shadows of houses, the evidences of decadent humanity. These, too, changed and passed, and others came. Presently, when the million dial was at zero, I slackened speed. I began to recognize our own petty and familiar architecture, the thousands hand ran back to the starting-point, the night and day flapped slower and slower. Then the old walls of the laboratory came round me. Very gently, now, I slowed the mechanism down. ‘I saw one little thing that seemed odd to me. I think I have told you that when I set out, before my velocity became very high, Mrs. Watchett had walked across the room, travelling, as it seemed to me, like a rocket. As I returned, I passed again across that minute when she traversed the laboratory. But now her every motion appeared to be the exact inversion of her previous ones. The door at the lower end opened, and she glided quietly up the laboratory, back foremost, and disappeared behind the door by which she had previously entered. Just before that I seemed to see Hillyer for a moment; but he passed like a flash. ‘Then I stopped the machine, and saw about me again the old familiar laboratory, my tools, my appliances just as I had left them. I got off the thing very shakily, and sat down upon my bench. For several minutes I trembled violently. Then I became calmer. Around me was my old workshop again, exactly as it had been. I might have slept there, and the whole thing have been a dream. ‘And yet, not exactly! The thing had started from the south-east corner of the laboratory. It had come to rest again in the north-west, against the wall where you saw it. That gives you the exact distance from my little lawn to the pedestal of the White Sphinx, into which the Morlocks had carried my machine. ‘For a time my brain went stagnant. Presently I got up and came through the passage here, limping, because my heel was still painful, and feeling sorely begrimed. I saw the _Pall Mall Gazette_ on the table by the door. I found the date was indeed to-day, and looking at the timepiece, saw the hour was almost eight o’clock. I heard your voices and the clatter of plates. I hesitated—I felt so sick and weak. Then I sniffed good wholesome meat, and opened the door on you. You know the rest. I washed, and dined, and now I am telling you the story. ‘I know,’ he said, after a pause, ‘that all this will be absolutely incredible to you. To me the one incredible thing is that I am here to-night in this old familiar room looking into your friendly faces and telling you these strange adventures.’ He looked at the Medical Man. ‘No. I cannot expect you to believe it. Take it as a lie—or a prophecy. Say I dreamed it in the workshop. Consider I have been speculating upon the destinies of our race until I have hatched this fiction. Treat my assertion of its truth as a mere stroke of art to
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 62—4
enhance its interest. And taking it as a story, what do you think of it? ‘ He took up his pipe, and began, in his old accustomed manner, to tap with it nervously upon the bars of the grate. There was a momentary stillness. Then chairs began to creak and shoes to scrape upon the carpet. I took my eyes off the Time Traveller’s face, and looked round at his audience. They were in the dark, and little spots of colour swam before them. The Medical Man seemed absorbed in the contemplation of our host. The Editor was looking hard at the end of his cigar—the sixth. The Journalist fumbled for his watch. The others, as far as I remember, were motionless. The Editor stood up with a sigh. ‘What a pity it is you’re not a writer of stories!’ he said, putting his hand on the Time Traveller’s shoulder. ‘You don’t believe it?’ ‘Well——’ ‘I thought not. ‘The Time Traveller turned to us. ‘Where are the matches?’ he said. He lit one and spoke over his pipe, puffing. ‘To tell you the truth... I hardly believe it myself.... And yet...’ His eye fell with a mute inquiry upon the withered white flowers upon the little table. Then he turned over the hand holding his pipe, and I saw he was looking at some half-healed scars on his knuckles. The Medical Man rose, came to the lamp, and examined the flowers. ‘The gynaeceum’s odd,’ he said. The Psychologist leant forward to see, holding out his hand for a specimen. ‘I’m hanged if it isn’t a quarter to one,’ said the Journalist. ‘How shall we get home?’ ‘Plenty of cabs at the station,’ said the Psychologist. ‘It’s a curious thing,’ said the Medical Man; ‘but I certainly don’t know the natural order of these flowers. May I have them?’ The Time Traveller hesitated. Then suddenly: ‘Certainly not.’ ‘Where did you really get them?’ said the Medical Man. The Time Traveller put his hand to his head. He spoke like one who was trying to keep hold of an idea that eluded him. ‘They were put into my pocket by Weena, when I travelled into Time.’ He stared round the room. ‘I’m damned if it isn’t all going. This room and you and the atmosphere of every day is too much for my memory. Did I ever make a Time Machine, or a model of a Time Machine? Or is it all only a dream? They say life is a dream, a precious poor dream at times—but I can’t stand another that won’t fit. It’s madness. And where did the dream come from? ... I must look at that machine. If there is one!’
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 62—5
He caught up the lamp swiftly, and carried it, flaring red, through the door into the corridor. We followed him. There in the flickering light of the lamp was the machine sure enough, squat, ugly, and askew; a thing of brass, ebony, ivory, and translucent glimmering quartz. Solid to the touch— for I put out my hand and felt the rail of it—and with brown spots and smears upon the ivory, and bits of grass and moss upon the lower parts, and one rail bent awry. The Time Traveller put the lamp down on the bench, and ran his hand along the damaged rail. ‘It’s all right now,’ he said. ‘The story I told you was true. I’m sorry to have brought you out here in the cold.’ He took up the lamp, and, in an absolute silence, we returned to the smoking-room. He came into the hall with us and helped the Editor on with his coat. The Medical Man looked into his face and, with a certain hesitation, told him he was suffering from overwork, at which he laughed hugely. I remember him standing in the open doorway, bawling good night. I shared a cab with the Editor. He thought the tale a ‘gaudy lie.’ For my own part I was unable to come to a conclusion. The story was so fantastic and incredible, the telling so credible and sober. I lay awake most of the night thinking about it. I determined to go next day and see the Time Traveller again. I was told he was in the laboratory, and being on easy terms in the house, I went up to him. The laboratory, however, was empty. I stared for a minute at the Time Machine and put out my hand and touched the lever. At that the squat substantial-looking mass swayed like a bough shaken by the wind. Its instability startled me extremely, and I had a queer reminiscence of the childish days when I used to be forbidden to meddle. I came back through the corridor. The Time Traveller met me in the smoking-room. He was coming from the house. He had a small camera under one arm and a knapsack under the other. He laughed when he saw me, and gave me an elbow to shake. ‘I’m frightfully busy,’ said he, ‘with that thing in there.’ ‘But is it not some hoax?’ I said. ‘Do you really travel through time?’ ‘Really and truly I do.’ And he looked frankly into my eyes. He hesitated. His eye wandered about the room. ‘I only want half an hour,’ he said. ‘I know why you came, and it’s awfully good of you. There’s some magazines here. If you’ll stop to lunch I’ll prove you this time travelling up to the hilt, specimen and all. If you’ll forgive my leaving you now?’ I consented, hardly comprehending then the full import of his words, and he nodded and went on down the corridor. I heard the door of the laboratory slam, seated myself in a chair, and took up a daily paper. What was he going to do before lunch-time? Then suddenly I was reminded by an advertisement that I had promised to meet Richardson, the publisher, at two. I looked at my watch, and saw that I could barely save that engagement. I got up and went down the passage to tell the Time Traveller. As I took hold of the handle of the door I heard an exclamation, oddly truncated at the end, and a click and a thud. A gust of air whirled round me as I opened the door, and from within came the sound of broken glass falling on the floor. The Time Traveller was not there. I seemed to see a ghostly, indistinct figure sitting in a whirling mass of black and brass for a moment—a figure
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 62—6
so transparent that the bench behind with its sheets of drawings was absolutely distinct; but this phantasm vanished as I rubbed my eyes. The Time Machine had gone. Save for a subsiding stir of dust, the further end of the laboratory was empty. A pane of the skylight had, apparently, just been blown in. I felt an unreasonable amazement. I knew that something strange had happened, and for the moment could not distinguish what the strange thing might be. As I stood staring, the door into the garden opened, and the man-servant appeared. We looked at each other. Then ideas began to come. ‘Has Mr. —— gone out that way?’ said I. ‘No, sir. No one has come out this way. I was expecting to find him here.’ At that I understood. At the risk of disappointing Richardson I stayed on, waiting for the Time Traveller; waiting for the second, perhaps still stranger story, and the specimens and photographs he would bring with him. But I am beginning now to fear that I must wait a lifetime. The Time Traveller vanished three years ago. And, as everybody knows now, he has never returned. that the thousands hand was sweeping round as fast as the seconds hand of a watch—into futurity. ‘As I drove on, a peculiar change crept over the appearance of things. The palpitating greyness grew darker; then—though I was still travelling with prodigious velocity—the blinking succession of day and night, which was usually indicative of a slower pace, returned, and grew more and more marked. This puzzled me very much at first. The alternations of night and day grew slower and slower, and so did the passage of the sun across the sky, until they seemed to stretch through centuries. At last a steady twilight brooded over the earth, a twilight only broken now and then when a comet glared across the darkling sky. The band of light that had indicated the sun had long since disappeared; for the sun had ceased to set—it simply rose and fell in the west, and grew ever broader and more red. All trace of the moon had vanished. The circling of the stars, growing slower and slower, had given place to creeping points of light. At last, some time before I stopped, the sun, red and very large, halted motionless upon the horizon, a vast dome glowing with a dull heat, and now and then suffering a momentary extinction. At one time it had for a little while glowed more brilliantly again, but it speedily reverted to its sullen red heat. I perceived by this slowing down of its rising and setting that the work of the tidal drag was done. The earth had come to rest with one face to the sun, even as in our own time the moon faces the earth. Very cautiously, for I remembered my former headlong fall, I began to reverse my motion. Slower and slower went the circling hands until the thousands one seemed motionless and the daily one was no longer a mere mist upon its scale. Still slower, until the dim outlines of a desolate beach grew visible. ‘I stopped very gently and sat upon the Time Machine, looking round. The sky was no longer blue. North-eastward it was inky black, and out of the blackness shone brightly and steadily the pale white stars. Overhead it was a deep Indian red and starless, and south-eastward it grew brighter to a glowing scarlet where, cut by the horizon, lay the huge hull of the sun, red and motionless. The rocks about me were of a harsh reddish colour, and all the trace of life that I could see at first was the intensely green vegetation that covered every projecting point on their south-eastern face. It was the same rich green that one sees on forest moss or on the lichen in caves: plants which like these grow in a perpetual twilight.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 62—7
‘The machine was standing on a sloping beach. The sea stretched away to the south-west, to rise into a sharp bright horizon against the wan sky. There were no breakers and no waves, for not a breath of wind was stirring. Only a slight oily swell rose and fell like a gentle breathing, and showed that the eternal sea was still moving and living. And along the margin where the water sometimes broke was a thick incrustation of salt—pink under the lurid sky. There was a sense of oppression in my head, and I noticed that I was breathing very fast. The sensation reminded me of my only experience of mountaineering, and from that I judged the air to be more rarefied than it is now. ‘Far away up the desolate slope I heard a harsh scream, and saw a thing like a huge white butterfly go slanting and fluttering up into the sky and, circling, disappear over some low hillocks beyond. The sound of its voice was so dismal that I shivered and seated myself more firmly upon the machine. Looking round me again, I saw that, quite near, what I had taken to be a reddish mass of rock was moving slowly towards me. Then I saw the thing was really a monstrous crab-like creature. Can you imagine a crab as large as yonder table, with its many legs moving slowly and uncertainly, its big claws swaying, its long antennae, like carters’ whips, waving and feeling, and its stalked eyes gleaming at you on either side of its metallic front? Its back was corrugated and ornamented with ungainly bosses, and a greenish incrustation blotched it here and there. I could see the many palps of its complicated mouth flickering and feeling as it moved. ‘As I stared at this sinister apparition crawling towards me, I felt a tickling on my cheek as though a fly had lighted there. I tried to brush it away with my hand, but in a moment it returned, and almost immediately came another by my ear. I struck at this, and caught something threadlike. It was drawn swiftly out of my hand. With a frightful qualm, I turned, and I saw that I had grasped the antenna of another monster crab that stood just behind me. Its evil eyes were wriggling on their stalks, its mouth was all alive with appetite, and its vast ungainly claws, smeared with an algal slime, were descending upon me. In a moment my hand was on the lever, and I had placed a month between myself and these monsters. But I was still on the same beach, and I saw them distinctly now as soon as I stopped. Dozens of them seemed to be crawling here and there, in the sombre light, among the foliated sheets of intense green. ‘I cannot convey the sense of abominable desolation that hung over the world. The red eastern sky, the northward blackness, the salt Dead Sea, the stony beach crawling with these foul, slowstirring monsters, the uniform poisonous-looking green of the lichenous plants, the thin air that hurts one’s lungs: all contributed to an appalling effect. I moved on a hundred years, and there was the same red sun—a little larger, a little duller—the same dying sea, the same chill air, and the same crowd of earthy crustacea creeping in and out among the green weed and the red rocks. And in the westward sky, I saw a curved pale line like a vast new moon. ‘So I travelled, stopping ever and again, in great strides of a thousand years or more, drawn on by the mystery of the earth’s fate, watching with a strange fascination the sun grow larger and duller in the westward sky, and the life of the old earth ebb away. At last, more than thirty million years hence, the huge red-hot dome of the sun had come to obscure nearly a tenth part of the darkling heavens. Then I stopped once more, for the crawling multitude of crabs had disappeared, and the red beach, save for its livid green liverworts and lichens, seemed lifeless. And now it was flecked with white. A bitter cold assailed me. Rare white flakes ever and again came eddying down. To the north-eastward, the glare of snow lay under the starlight of the sable sky and I could see
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 62—8
an undulating crest of hillocks pinkish white. There were fringes of ice along the sea margin, with drifting masses further out; but the main expanse of that salt ocean, all bloody under the eternal sunset, was still unfrozen. ‘I looked about me to see if any traces of animal life remained. A certain indefinable apprehension still kept me in the saddle of the machine. But I saw nothing moving, in earth or sky or sea. The green slime on the rocks alone testified that life was not extinct. A shallow sandbank had appeared in the sea and the water had receded from the beach. I fancied I saw some black object flopping about upon this bank, but it became motionless as I looked at it, and I judged that my eye had been deceived, and that the black object was merely a rock. The stars in the sky were intensely bright and seemed to me to twinkle very little. ‘Suddenly I noticed that the circular westward outline of the sun had changed; that a concavity, a bay, had appeared in the curve. I saw this grow larger. For a minute perhaps I stared aghast at this blackness that was creeping over the day, and then I realized that an eclipse was beginning. Either the moon or the planet Mercury was passing across the sun’s disk. Naturally, at first I took it to be the moon, but there is much to incline me to believe that what I really saw was the transit of an inner planet passing very near to the earth. ‘The darkness grew apace; a cold wind began to blow in freshening gusts from the east, and the showering white flakes in the air increased in number. From the edge of the sea came a ripple and whisper. Beyond these lifeless sounds the world was silent. Silent? It would be hard to convey the stillness of it. All the sounds of man, the bleating of sheep, the cries of birds, the hum of insects, the stir that makes the background of our lives—all that was over. As the darkness thickened, the eddying flakes grew more abundant, dancing before my eyes; and the cold of the air more intense. At last, one by one, swiftly, one after the other, the white peaks of the distant hills vanished into blackness. The breeze rose to a moaning wind. I saw the black central shadow of the eclipse sweeping towards me. In another moment the pale stars alone were visible. All else was rayless obscurity. The sky was absolutely black. ‘A horror of this great darkness came on me. The cold, that smote to my marrow, and the pain I felt in breathing, overcame me. I shivered, and a deadly nausea seized me. Then like a red-hot bow in the sky appeared the edge of the sun. I got off the machine to recover myself. I felt giddy and incapable of facing the return journey. As I stood sick and confused I saw again the moving thing upon the shoal—there was no mistake now that it was a moving thing—against the red water of the sea. It was a round thing, the size of a football perhaps, or, it may be, bigger, and tentacles trailed down from it; it seemed black against the weltering blood-red water, and it was hopping fitfully about. Then I felt I was fainting. But a terrible dread of lying helpless in that remote and awful twilight sustained me while I clambered upon the saddle.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 63—1
Lesson 63
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells—Epilogue
Objective: The student will be introduced to Science Fiction, which will be the genre through which the student will learn to critically interpret text in order to uncover meaning. New Vocabulary words used in the novel will be incorporated into these Lesson assignments to supplement the student’s reading comprehension and ability to interpret the text. Key Vocabulary: Epilogue Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: How do you think The Time Machine will end? Technology Integration: Have the student create a book cover for The Time Machine using the graphic design features in a word processing or graphics program. Encourage her to design the cover as she thinks it should look, based on her own reactions and feeling about the story. Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will complete the reading of The Time Machine today. Read the Epilogue from The Time Machine aloud with the student. Have the student answer the Epilogue Study Questions on paper. Epilogue Study Questions Answer Key: How would you characterize the narrator’s reaction to the story? Is he optimistic or pessimistic? He is curious as to where the Time Traveller ended up. He is optimistic about the future. After all the concerns the Time Traveller had about technology and intellectual advancement, what does the narrator conclude is most important? Gratitude and mutual tenderness. What do you think about this conclusion? Explain why you think so. Answer will vary. Lesson Wrap-Up: Engage the student in a discussion of her answers to the Epilogue Study Questions.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 63—1
Lesson 63
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning The Time Machine by H.G. Wells—Epilogue
What did you think about The Time Machine? How do you think the story will end? Hope that was fun for you! You will now finish reading The Time Machine by reading the Epilogue aloud. You will then answer the Epilogue Study Questions. Be ready to discuss your responses. When you have finished reading the Epilogue, you will take a quiz on the remaining components of the story. Lesson Wrap-Up: Prep to discuss your answers to the Epilogue Study Questions.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 63—2
Epilogue Study Questions How would you characterize the narrator’s reaction to the story? Is he optimistic or pessimistic?
After all the concerns the Time Traveller had about technology and intellectual advancement, what does the narrator conclude is most important?
What do you think about this conclusion? Explain why you think so.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 63—4
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells EPILOGUE One cannot choose but wonder. Will he ever return? It may be that he swept back into the past, and fell among the blood-drinking, hairy savages of the Age of Unpolished Stone; into the abysses of the Cretaceous Sea; or among the grotesque saurians, the huge reptilian brutes of the Jurassic times. He may even now—if I may use the phrase—be wandering on some plesiosaurus-haunted Oolitic coral reef, or beside the lonely saline lakes of the Triassic Age. Or did he go forward, into one of the nearer ages, in which men are still men, but with the riddles of our own time answered and its wearisome problems solved? Into the manhood of the race: for I, for my own part, cannot think that these latter days of weak experiment, fragmentary theory, and mutual discord are indeed man’s culminating time! I say, for my own part. He, I know—for the question had been discussed among us long before the Time Machine was made—thought but cheerlessly of the Advancement of Mankind, and saw in the growing pile of civilization only a foolish heaping that must inevitably fall back upon and destroy its makers in the end. If that is so, it remains for us to live as though it were not so. But to me the future is still black and blank—is a vast ignorance, lit at a few casual places by the memory of his story. And I have by me, for my comfort, two strange white flowers— shrivelled now, and brown and flat and brittle—to witness that even when mind and strength had gone, gratitude and a mutual tenderness still lived on in the heart of man.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 64—1
Lesson 64
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning Chapters Seven - Twelve Quiz
Assign the Chapters Seven-Twelve Quiz to assess the student’s knowledge and understanding of the last portion of the story. Chapters Seven - Twelve Quiz Answer Key: In the previous chapter, the Time Traveller had concluded that the Eloi were the remnants of the aristocracy, and that the Morlocks were the remnants of the suppressed working class. What is their relationship now? (Chapter 7) The Morlocks sustain the Eloi only as a source of meat. What time of day and of the month is Weena (and all the Eloi, evidently) most afraid of? (Chapter 7) Nighttime; New moon. What had the Palace of Green Porcelain once been? (Chapter 8) An old museum. What weapon does the Time Traveller find in the Palace of Green Porcelain that he takes with him? (Chapter 8) The lever of an old machine. What is the other useful item (and incredibly unlikely one, considering the condition of the books!) that the Time Traveller takes from the Palace of Green Porcelain? He considers it to be an especially effective weapon against Morlocks. (Chapter 8) A box of matches and a bottle of camphor. How does Weena first respond to the Time Traveller’s making of a fire? (Chapter 9) Weena faints. The Time Traveller is attacked in this chapter, but something saves him. What finally drives the Morlocks away? (Chapter 9) The forest burns and they are afraid of fire. What happens to Weena during the fight with the Morlocks? (Chapter 9) The Morlocks take her. How does the Time Traveller get his machine back? (Chapter 10) The pedestal is open with the machine inside.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 64—2
What does the Time Traveller discover about the future after the Eloi? (Chapter 11) It is bleak. What kind of life does the Time Traveller find in the far future after the Eloi (Chapter 11) There is no life stirring except basic plant life, and the air is cold. What is the setting for the last chapter of the book (not the epilogue)? (Chapter 12) In the laboratory, hours after the Time Traveler has left it. Who, surprisingly, does not believe the story of the Time Traveller and has to see the machine to convince himself that it really happened? (Chapter 12) The Time Traveler The narrator of the story has a different attitude about the Time Traveller’s story than the other listeners. How does he feel about it? (Chapter 12) He feels that the Time Traveller really did travel through time. What reminder does the narrator keep of the Time Traveller’s journey? (epilogue) The indistinct figure which appears and the two flowers.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 64—1
Lesson 64
Reading Science Fiction Critically for Meaning Chapters Seven through Twelve Quiz
Write your answers on the lines provided to the following quiz questions for Chapters Seven—Twelve of The Time Machine. Try to answer from memory, then, you can go back through the Chapters to find the correct answer if needed.
In the previous chapter, the Time Traveller had concluded that the Eloi were the remnants of the aristocracy, and that the Morlocks were the remnants of the suppressed working class. What is their relationship now? (Chapter 7)
What time of day and of the month is Weena (and all the Eloi, evidently) most afraid of? (Chapter 7)
What had the Palace of Green Porcelain once been? (Chapter 8)
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 64—2
What weapon does the Time Traveller find in the Palace of Green Porcelain that he takes with him? (Chapter 8)
What is the other useful item (and incredibly unlikely one, considering the condition of the books!) that the Time Traveller takes from the Palace of Green Porcelain? He considers it to be an especially effective weapon against Morlocks. (Chapter 8)
How does Weena first respond to the Time Traveller’s making of a fire? (Chapter 9)
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 64—3
The Time Traveller is attacked in this chapter, but something saves him. What finally drives the Morlocks away? (Chapter 9)
What happens to Weena during the fight with the Morlocks? (Chapter 9)
How does the Time Traveller get his machine back? (Chapter 10)
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 64—4
What does the Time Traveller discover about the future after the Eloi? (Chapter 11)
What kind of life does the Time Traveller find in the far future after the Eloi (Chapter 11)
What is the setting for the last chapter of the book (not the Epilogue)? (Chapter 12)
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 64—5
Who, surprisingly, does not believe the story of the Time Traveller and has to see the machine to convince himself that it really happened? (Chapter 12)
The narrator of the story has a different attitude about the Time Traveller’s story than the other listeners. How does he feel about it? (Chapter 12)
What reminder does the narrator keep of the Time Traveller’s journey? (Epilogue)
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 65—1
Lesson 65
The Time Machine Vocabulary Review
Objective: The student will know the meanings of the Vocabulary words assigned during the reading of The Time Machine and use each one correctly in a sentence. Key Vocabulary: Vocabulary words introduced throughout The Time Machine; the student should review the Frayer squares prepared for words from each Chapter. Materials Needed: Frayer squares from Chapters One - Twelve, Dictionary, index cards Literary Selection: The Time Machine by H. G. Wells Engage: Engaging Question: What is the benefit of learning Vocabulary while reading? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will prepare for the upcoming Vocabulary test by studying the Vocabulary words given throughout reading The Time Machine. The student should have completed a Frayer Square model for each Vocabulary term. Instruct the student to gather these papers together. Let the student know that the test will ask the student to define a word, give the part of speech, and use the word correctly in a sentence. Give the student time create study flash cards in which the student places the word on the front of the card and the definition and the part of speech on the back of the card. Assist the student using the flash cards to study for the test. Monitor student learning by checking for understanding, answering any pending questions, and give help and advice as needed. Advance Preparation or Homework Required: Students should continue to study their flash cards at home. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student review the flash cards and continue to do so as homework.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 65—1
Lesson 65
The Time Machine Vocabulary Review
For today’s Lesson, you will begin preparing for the upcoming Vocabulary test by studying the Vocabulary words given throughout the reading of The Time Machine. You should have completed a Frayer square model for each Vocabulary term. Gather these papers together. The Vocabulary test will ask you to define a word, give the part of speech, and use the word correctly in a sentence. Take the time to create study flash cards. To do this, place the Vocabulary word on the front of the card and the definition and part of speech on the back of the card. Study the words by using your flash cards to prepare for the upcoming test. Lesson Wrap-Up: If you have been studying your Vocabulary words Lesson by Lesson, making flash cards and studying for your test will be easy! Review your flash cards in class and continue to do so as homework.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 66—1
Lesson 66
The Time Machine Vocabulary Test
Objective: The student will demonstrate knowledge of Vocabulary words assigned during the study of The Time Machine by using them in sentences. Engage: Engaging Question: What Vocabulary word or words was most difficult for you to learn from the story The Time Machine? Do you have a favorite word? Additional Notes to the Teacher: During this Lesson the student will take the Vocabulary test on The Time Machine. The Time Machine Vocabulary Test is an assessment of the student’s understanding and comprehension of some of the new words introduced while reading of The Time Machine. The Time Machine Vocabulary Test Answer Key: Incandescent- adjective; white, glowing or luminous Lucid- adjective; a clear understanding Imminent- adjective; ready to take place Poignant- adjective; deeply affecting Exquisite- adjective; pleasing through beauty Complacency- noun; self satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of dangers Aperture- noun; opening most often referring to one found in photographic lens that admits light Anguish- noun; extreme pain, distress, or anxiety Villainy- noun; evil conduct Corroded- verb; to weaken or destroy gradually Oblique- adjective; not straightforward Impending- verb; to be about to occur Versatility- noun; being capable of change Indefinite- adjective; not precise Translucent- adjective; permitting the passage of light All sentences will vary.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 66—1
Lesson 66
The Time Machine Vocabulary Test
Directions: On the lined paper, define the following words, give the part of speech of the word, and use each word in a sentence that relates to the reading of The Time Machine. Example: Paradox: Something that seems to have contradicting qualities Noun
Staying up late to study on a school night is a paradox because when I do I am very tired the next morning but if I don’t I might not do well on the test.
Incandescent
Lucid
Imminent
STUDENT MANUAL
Poignant
Exquisite
Complacency
Aperture
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 66—2
STUDENT MANUAL
Anguish
Villainy
Corroded
Oblique
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 66—3
STUDENT MANUAL
Impending
Versatility
Indefinite
Translucent
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 66—4
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 67—1
Lesson 67
The Time Machine Movie
Objective: The student will be able to view a cinematic presentation of The Time Machine. Materials: The 1960 movie version of The Time Machine in video or DVD; TV and VCR or DVD player as needed. Engage: Engaging Question: What do you think the movie version of The Time Machine will be like? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Today, the student will begin watching the 1960 movie version of The Time Machine. Before beginning the movie, explain the following information: The Time Machine was turned into a movie in 1960 starring Rod Taylor. Several important differences exist between the two. First, the Time Traveller makes several stops before reaching the Eloi. He sees the effects of World War I, World War II and an atomic bomb attack on London in 1960. This changes the explanation for the existence of two races in the future, where the Eloi became the descendants of people who remained on the surface during the nuclear attacks, and the Morlocks became the descendents of people who fled to the bomb shelters. The cannibalistic relationship between the two races remains. In a creepy alternative vision, the Morlocks turn on air raid sirens which the Eloi blindly respond to by filing to the underground entrances. The movie also creates a love interest between The Time Traveller (now named George) and Weena, who may act child-like but looks much more adult than descriptions from the book indicate. The Time Traveller’s visit to the far future is cut out, and the Time Traveller ends the movie by setting out on a rescue attempt of Weena. Filby, who is much more the friend in the movie, wonders at the end what three books the Time Traveller would take with him to rebuild a civilization from scratch. Begin watching The Time Machine movie. Pause the movie after David says, “I have no desire to tempt the laws of providence, and I don’t think you should. It’s not for man to trifle with.” Discuss that this scientific dilemma is an old one, but it continues to bring about debate on the ethical boundaries of science today. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to identify three new ideas that she now has after reading The Time Machine and beginning to watch the movie.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 67—1
Lesson 67
The Time Machine Movie
Today you’ll watch the movie The Time Machine! Of course, the movie has some differences from the book. The Time Machine was turned into a movie in 1960 starring Rod Taylor. Several important differences exist between the two. First, the Time Traveller makes several stops before reaching the Eloi. He sees the effects of World War I, World War II and an atomic bomb attack on London in 1960. This changes the explanation for the existence of two races in the future, where the Eloi became the descendants of people who remained on the surface during the nuclear attacks, and the Morlocks became the descendents of people who fled to the bomb shelters. The cannibalistic relationship between the two races remains. In a creepy alternative vision, the Morlocks turn on air raid sirens which the Eloi blindly respond to by filing to the underground entrances. The movie also creates a love interest between The Time Traveller (now named George) and Weena, who may act child-like but looks much more adult than descriptions from the book indicate. The Time Traveller’s visit to the far future is cut out, and the Time Traveller ends the movie by setting out on a rescue attempt of Weena. Filby, who is much more the friend in the movie, wonders at the end what three books the Time Traveller would take with him to rebuild a civilization from scratch. As you watch the movie, you will be participating in discussions and expressing your opinion. Lesson Wrap-Up: Identify three new ideas that you now have after reading the book The Time Machine and beginning to watch the movie.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 68—1
Lesson 68
The Time Machine Movie, continued
Objective: The student will continue viewing a cinematic presentation of The Time Machine. Materials Needed: Copy of the 1960 movie version of The Time Machine in video or DVD, TV and VCR or DVD player as needed, Writing Journal Engage: Engaging Question: What is different from the movie version and the book version of The Time Machine? Are these major differences in plot or creative differences? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will continue viewing the movie version of The Time Machine. Stop the movie after the “Talking rings” scene. Explain that the producer / director of the movie decided to change the conclusion of the movie from H.G. Well’s original version. Give the student time to write a new ending to the movie in the writing Writing Journal based on what she has seen thus far in the movie. Remind the student about the quotation by David discussed during the “Four Corners” game. Discuss with the student the position she chose previously and whether or not it has changed after seeing the conclusion of the movie.
Advance Preparation or Homework Required: You may want to watch or go through the movie in advance of showing it to the student; you will need to identify the “Talking Rings” scene so you know when to stop the movie and discuss the issues related to how this film ends.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 68—1
Lesson 68
The Time Machine Movie, continued
What is different from the movie version and the book version of The Time Machine? Are these major differences in plot or creative differences? For today’s Lesson you will continue watching the movie, The Time Machine. You will find out that the movie and the book have different endings. You will also have an opportunity to crate and write a new ending to the movie in your writing journal. On a sheet of paper, in at least one page, write a thoughtful reflection to the following prompt: Which ending of The Time Machine did you like the best, the book ending or the movie ending? Why? Which ending did you agree with philosophically even if you didn’t like the result? Why?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 68—2
Lesson Wrap-Up: You had an opportunity to create an ending for the movie. Pretend your life is a movie. Think about the happy future you can write for your life. You can make it happen!
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 69—1
Lesson 69
The Time Machine; Reflective Essay
Objective: The student will write a reflective essay based on a prompt related to the book and film version of The Time Machine. Additional Notes to the Teacher: For the assessment, ask the student to write a thoughtful reflection to the following prompt: Which ending of The Time Machine did you like the best, the book ending or the movie ending? Why? Which ending did you agree with philosophically, even if you did not like the result? Why? The response should be at least a one page response. The student must turn it in on a separate piece of paper by the end of the Lesson period. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student review her reflective essay one more time before turning it in.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 69-71—1
Lessons 69–71
The Time Machine; Reflective Essay Comparing and Contrasting Science Fiction
In Lessons 69, 70 and 71, you will be assessing The Time Machine and viewing and analyzing characteristics of various Science Fiction film works. You will then present your observations in writing in a formal Compare and Contrast Essay between The Time Machine and a Science Fiction movie of your choosing. In this Lesson, you will write a reflective essay, at least one page long, related to the book and film version of The Time Machine. Here is your prompt: Which ending of The Time Machine did you like the best, the book ending or the movie ending? Why? Which ending did you agree with philosophically, even if you did not like the result? Why? The response should be at least a one page response. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review your reflective essay one more time before turning it in.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 69-71—2
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 70–71—1
Lessons 70–71
The Time Machine Movie and Story Analysis
Objective: The student will be able to use creative means to represent understanding of The Time Machine as it relates to his own world. The student will also use technology to present research on a topic relating to The Time Machine. Materials Needed: Paper, Writing Journal, copies of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine, computer access, drawing and art materials such as poster board, construction paper, markers, crayons, scissors, glue, TV and VCR or DVD player; Film versions of Back to the Future, Terminator, Star Trek, and Star Gate, and other Science Fiction films that relate to The Time Machine, Time Travel Handout Engage: Engaging Question: What other movies or books have you read that are similar to The Time Machine? What makes them similar? Additional Notes to the Teacher: For the next two Lessons, the student will be working on a culminating project based on the reading of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine. Begin by showing the student clips from a movie such as Back to the Future, Terminator, Star Trek, and Star Gate in order that the student gain a better understanding of what “science fiction” is and means. While viewing several film clips over the two Lesson periods, have the student brainstorm a list of the characteristics and aspects of science fiction that are readily apparent from these films. The student will choose one of the films as the basis for writing a Compare and Contrast essay on The Time Machine and the other science fiction movie he chose.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 70–71—1
Lessons 70–71
The Time Machine Movie and Story Analysis
Objective: The student will be able to use creative means to represent understanding of The Time Machine as it relates to his own world. The student will also use technology to present research on a topic relating to The Time Machine. Materials Needed: Paper, Writing Journal, copies of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine, computer access, drawing and art materials such as poster board, construction paper, markers, crayons, scissors, glue, TV and VCR or DVD player; Film versions of Back to the Future, Terminator, Star Trek, and Star Gate, and other Science Fiction films that relate to The Time Machine, Time Travel Handout Engage: Engaging Question: What other movies or books have you read that are similar to The Time Machine? What makes them similar? Additional Notes to the Teacher: For the next two Lessons, the student will be working on a culminating project based on the reading of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine. Begin by showing the student clips from a movie such as Back to the Future, Terminator, Star Trek, and Star Gate in order that the student gain a better understanding of what “science fiction” is and means. While viewing several film clips over the two Lesson periods, have the student brainstorm a list of the characteristics and aspects of science fiction that are readily apparent from these films. The student will choose one of the films as the basis for writing a Compare and Contrast essay on The Time Machine and the other science fiction movie he chose.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—1
Lessons 72–75
The Time Machine Writing Assignment: Organization and Preparation Preparing an Outline and First Draft Editing the Rough Draft Preparing the Final Draft
Objective: The student will be able to use the writing process effectively and set a purpose for reflecting upon and responding to a piece of literature in a critical way. Materials Needed: Writing Journal, Computer access for typing Engage: Engaging Question: What happened to the Time Traveller? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will begin working on a writing assignment relating to the reading of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. The student will be writing a reflective essay in which he or she answers the following question: The Time Machine ends with a mystery. Reflect upon your past journal responses, study question answers, and reading of the novel to write a 500-word essay explaining what you think happened to the Time Traveller and why. Be sure to use what the Time Traveller said were his goals in the story, as well as what the narrator said about his character in the story to base your opinion and answer. You must use examples and quotations from the story as support. Give the student the next four class periods to work on this essay, reminding her of how the essay will be graded according to the attached rubric. The timing of the student’s work on the essay should be as follows: Lesson 72: Organization and Preparation—The student should use past journal responses, study questions, and notes and spend time organizing theses pieces into topics. Lesson 73: Preparing an Outline and First Draft—The student should then use his organized notes to prepare an outline of the essay. Then, begin a first draft. Lesson 74: Editing the Rough Draft—The student should edit his rough draft to create a second draft. Lesson 75: Preparing the Final Draft—The student will type a final copy, possibly going through the peer editing process to make any final changes, additions, or revisions.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—2
This reflective essay based on The Time Machine will be graded using the rubric below. Be sure to discuss these grading procedures with the student before giving time to work on the essay so that he is aware of the characteristics that need to be apparent in the writing. Reflective Essay Rubric Score
Writing Trait
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Organization and Ideas: • Main idea is clear and well developed. • Descriptive details are included. • Introduction, body, and conclusion give a logical sequence and organization of ideas. • Examples and explanation are given.
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Grammar Usage: • The essay is free of run-on sentences and fragments. • Sentences are well-written and use correct subjectverb agreement.
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Comments
Punctuation and Spelling: Punctuation is correct throughout the essay. • Capitalization is correct throughout the essay. • Spelling errors do not exist.
•
Lesson Wrap-Up: Stress that the assignment for Lessons 72–75 is very comprehensive. Encourage the student to put forth his best effort and that spending ample time in the pre-writing process will give him plenty of material to use in his essay.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—1
Lessons 72–75
The Time Machine Writing Assignment: Organization and Preparation Preparing an Outline and First Draft Editing the Rough Draft Preparing the Final Draft
What happened to the Time Traveller? For the next four Lessons, you will be writing a reflective essay relating to the reading of The Time Machine by H. G. Wells. You will base your essay on the following premise: The Time Machine ends with a mystery. Reflect upon your past journal entries, your responses to the study questions, and your reading of the novel to write a 500 word essay to explain what you think happened to the Time Traveller and why. Refer to what the Time Traveller said were his goals, as well as what the narrator said about his character in the story to base your opinion and answer. You must use examples and quotations from the story to support your position.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—2
Study the rubric below so that you include the necessary elements to write a strong essay. Reflective Essay Rubric Score
Writing Trait
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
•
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Comments
Organization and Ideas: Main idea is clear and well developed. • Descriptive details are included. • Introduction, body, and conclusion give a logical sequence and organization of ideas. • Examples and explanation are given.
Grammar Usage: • The essay is free of run-on sentences and fragments. • Sentences are well-written and use correct subjectverb agreement.
Punctuation and Spelling: Punctuation is correct throughout the essay. • Capitalization is correct throughout the essay. • Spelling errors do not exist.
•
Begin the pre-writing process by looking back through your journal responses, study questions, and notes and organizing them by topic. In the next Lesson, Lesson 73, once you have organized your notes, you will create an outline and rough draft of how your reflective paper will flow. Then, in Lesson 74, you will edit your rough draft and create a second draft. In Lesson 75, you may be engaged in a peer editing process to review and edit your essay one more time.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—3
When peer editing, it is important to follow these guidelines: Step 1: Give compliments—It is important to give praise for something you liked about the paper. Step 2: Give suggestions—It is important to be specific and give ideas for how to make the paper better. Pay particular attention to areas included on the rubric you know you will be graded. Step 3: Make corrections—It is helpful to the writer to make corrections in any spelling or grammatical errors you find when you are editing. After your essay has been peer edited, you will make all final corrections, changes or revisions and type the final copy of the essay. If you do not participate in peer editing during this final Lesson, you will prepare your final draft and submit your essay for grading according to the rubric. Lesson Wrap-Up: Your assignment over the next three Lessons is a big one, and one that requires your best effort. It will be well worth it to spend ample time in the pre-writing process. That will give you plenty of material to use in your essay. It will be easier to hit the 500 word target if you have lots of details. Give it your best effort!
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—1
Lessons 72–75
The Time Machine Writing Assignment: Organization and Preparation Preparing an Outline and First Draft Editing the Rough Draft Preparing the Final Draft
Objective: The student will be able to use the writing process effectively and set a purpose for reflecting upon and responding to a piece of literature in a critical way. Materials Needed: Writing Journal, Computer access for typing Engage: Engaging Question: What happened to the Time Traveller? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will begin working on a writing assignment relating to the reading of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. The student will be writing a reflective essay in which he or she answers the following question: The Time Machine ends with a mystery. Reflect upon your past journal responses, study question answers, and reading of the novel to write a 500-word essay explaining what you think happened to the Time Traveller and why. Be sure to use what the Time Traveller said were his goals in the story, as well as what the narrator said about his character in the story to base your opinion and answer. You must use examples and quotations from the story as support. Give the student the next four class periods to work on this essay, reminding her of how the essay will be graded according to the attached rubric. The timing of the student’s work on the essay should be as follows: Lesson 72: Organization and Preparation—The student should use past journal responses, study questions, and notes and spend time organizing theses pieces into topics. Lesson 73: Preparing an Outline and First Draft—The student should then use his organized notes to prepare an outline of the essay. Then, begin a first draft. Lesson 74: Editing the Rough Draft—The student should edit his rough draft to create a second draft. Lesson 75: Preparing the Final Draft—The student will type a final copy, possibly going through the peer editing process to make any final changes, additions, or revisions.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—2
This reflective essay based on The Time Machine will be graded using the rubric below. Be sure to discuss these grading procedures with the student before giving time to work on the essay so that he is aware of the characteristics that need to be apparent in the writing. Reflective Essay Rubric Score
Writing Trait
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Organization and Ideas: • Main idea is clear and well developed. • Descriptive details are included. • Introduction, body, and conclusion give a logical sequence and organization of ideas. • Examples and explanation are given.
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Grammar Usage: • The essay is free of run-on sentences and fragments. • Sentences are well-written and use correct subjectverb agreement.
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Comments
Punctuation and Spelling: Punctuation is correct throughout the essay. • Capitalization is correct throughout the essay. • Spelling errors do not exist.
•
Lesson Wrap-Up: Stress that the assignment for Lessons 72–75 is very comprehensive. Encourage the student to put forth his best effort and that spending ample time in the pre-writing process will give him plenty of material to use in his essay.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—1
Lessons 72–75
The Time Machine Writing Assignment: Organization and Preparation Preparing an Outline and First Draft Editing the Rough Draft Preparing the Final Draft
What happened to the Time Traveller? For the next four Lessons, you will be writing a reflective essay relating to the reading of The Time Machine by H. G. Wells. You will base your essay on the following premise: The Time Machine ends with a mystery. Reflect upon your past journal entries, your responses to the study questions, and your reading of the novel to write a 500 word essay to explain what you think happened to the Time Traveller and why. Refer to what the Time Traveller said were his goals, as well as what the narrator said about his character in the story to base your opinion and answer. You must use examples and quotations from the story to support your position.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—2
Study the rubric below so that you include the necessary elements to write a strong essay. Reflective Essay Rubric Score
Writing Trait
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
•
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Comments
Organization and Ideas: Main idea is clear and well developed. • Descriptive details are included. • Introduction, body, and conclusion give a logical sequence and organization of ideas. • Examples and explanation are given.
Grammar Usage: • The essay is free of run-on sentences and fragments. • Sentences are well-written and use correct subjectverb agreement.
Punctuation and Spelling: Punctuation is correct throughout the essay. • Capitalization is correct throughout the essay. • Spelling errors do not exist.
•
Begin the pre-writing process by looking back through your journal responses, study questions, and notes and organizing them by topic. In the next Lesson, Lesson 73, once you have organized your notes, you will create an outline and rough draft of how your reflective paper will flow. Then, in Lesson 74, you will edit your rough draft and create a second draft. In Lesson 75, you may be engaged in a peer editing process to review and edit your essay one more time.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—3
When peer editing, it is important to follow these guidelines: Step 1: Give compliments—It is important to give praise for something you liked about the paper. Step 2: Give suggestions—It is important to be specific and give ideas for how to make the paper better. Pay particular attention to areas included on the rubric you know you will be graded. Step 3: Make corrections—It is helpful to the writer to make corrections in any spelling or grammatical errors you find when you are editing. After your essay has been peer edited, you will make all final corrections, changes or revisions and type the final copy of the essay. If you do not participate in peer editing during this final Lesson, you will prepare your final draft and submit your essay for grading according to the rubric. Lesson Wrap-Up: Your assignment over the next three Lessons is a big one, and one that requires your best effort. It will be well worth it to spend ample time in the pre-writing process. That will give you plenty of material to use in your essay. It will be easier to hit the 500 word target if you have lots of details. Give it your best effort!
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—1
Lessons 72–75
The Time Machine Writing Assignment: Organization and Preparation Preparing an Outline and First Draft Editing the Rough Draft Preparing the Final Draft
Objective: The student will be able to use the writing process effectively and set a purpose for reflecting upon and responding to a piece of literature in a critical way. Materials Needed: Writing Journal, Computer access for typing Engage: Engaging Question: What happened to the Time Traveller? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will begin working on a writing assignment relating to the reading of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. The student will be writing a reflective essay in which he or she answers the following question: The Time Machine ends with a mystery. Reflect upon your past journal responses, study question answers, and reading of the novel to write a 500-word essay explaining what you think happened to the Time Traveller and why. Be sure to use what the Time Traveller said were his goals in the story, as well as what the narrator said about his character in the story to base your opinion and answer. You must use examples and quotations from the story as support. Give the student the next four class periods to work on this essay, reminding her of how the essay will be graded according to the attached rubric. The timing of the student’s work on the essay should be as follows: Lesson 72: Organization and Preparation—The student should use past journal responses, study questions, and notes and spend time organizing theses pieces into topics. Lesson 73: Preparing an Outline and First Draft—The student should then use his organized notes to prepare an outline of the essay. Then, begin a first draft. Lesson 74: Editing the Rough Draft—The student should edit his rough draft to create a second draft. Lesson 75: Preparing the Final Draft—The student will type a final copy, possibly going through the peer editing process to make any final changes, additions, or revisions.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—2
This reflective essay based on The Time Machine will be graded using the rubric below. Be sure to discuss these grading procedures with the student before giving time to work on the essay so that he is aware of the characteristics that need to be apparent in the writing. Reflective Essay Rubric Score
Writing Trait
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Organization and Ideas: • Main idea is clear and well developed. • Descriptive details are included. • Introduction, body, and conclusion give a logical sequence and organization of ideas. • Examples and explanation are given.
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Grammar Usage: • The essay is free of run-on sentences and fragments. • Sentences are well-written and use correct subjectverb agreement.
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Comments
Punctuation and Spelling: Punctuation is correct throughout the essay. • Capitalization is correct throughout the essay. • Spelling errors do not exist.
•
Lesson Wrap-Up: Stress that the assignment for Lessons 72–75 is very comprehensive. Encourage the student to put forth his best effort and that spending ample time in the pre-writing process will give him plenty of material to use in his essay.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—1
Lessons 72–75
The Time Machine Writing Assignment: Organization and Preparation Preparing an Outline and First Draft Editing the Rough Draft Preparing the Final Draft
What happened to the Time Traveller? For the next four Lessons, you will be writing a reflective essay relating to the reading of The Time Machine by H. G. Wells. You will base your essay on the following premise: The Time Machine ends with a mystery. Reflect upon your past journal entries, your responses to the study questions, and your reading of the novel to write a 500 word essay to explain what you think happened to the Time Traveller and why. Refer to what the Time Traveller said were his goals, as well as what the narrator said about his character in the story to base your opinion and answer. You must use examples and quotations from the story to support your position.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—2
Study the rubric below so that you include the necessary elements to write a strong essay. Reflective Essay Rubric Score
Writing Trait
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
•
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Comments
Organization and Ideas: Main idea is clear and well developed. • Descriptive details are included. • Introduction, body, and conclusion give a logical sequence and organization of ideas. • Examples and explanation are given.
Grammar Usage: • The essay is free of run-on sentences and fragments. • Sentences are well-written and use correct subjectverb agreement.
Punctuation and Spelling: Punctuation is correct throughout the essay. • Capitalization is correct throughout the essay. • Spelling errors do not exist.
•
Begin the pre-writing process by looking back through your journal responses, study questions, and notes and organizing them by topic. In the next Lesson, Lesson 73, once you have organized your notes, you will create an outline and rough draft of how your reflective paper will flow. Then, in Lesson 74, you will edit your rough draft and create a second draft. In Lesson 75, you may be engaged in a peer editing process to review and edit your essay one more time.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—3
When peer editing, it is important to follow these guidelines: Step 1: Give compliments—It is important to give praise for something you liked about the paper. Step 2: Give suggestions—It is important to be specific and give ideas for how to make the paper better. Pay particular attention to areas included on the rubric you know you will be graded. Step 3: Make corrections—It is helpful to the writer to make corrections in any spelling or grammatical errors you find when you are editing. After your essay has been peer edited, you will make all final corrections, changes or revisions and type the final copy of the essay. If you do not participate in peer editing during this final Lesson, you will prepare your final draft and submit your essay for grading according to the rubric. Lesson Wrap-Up: Your assignment over the next three Lessons is a big one, and one that requires your best effort. It will be well worth it to spend ample time in the pre-writing process. That will give you plenty of material to use in your essay. It will be easier to hit the 500 word target if you have lots of details. Give it your best effort!
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—1
Lessons 72–75
The Time Machine Writing Assignment: Organization and Preparation Preparing an Outline and First Draft Editing the Rough Draft Preparing the Final Draft
Objective: The student will be able to use the writing process effectively and set a purpose for reflecting upon and responding to a piece of literature in a critical way. Materials Needed: Writing Journal, Computer access for typing Engage: Engaging Question: What happened to the Time Traveller? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will begin working on a writing assignment relating to the reading of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. The student will be writing a reflective essay in which he or she answers the following question: The Time Machine ends with a mystery. Reflect upon your past journal responses, study question answers, and reading of the novel to write a 500-word essay explaining what you think happened to the Time Traveller and why. Be sure to use what the Time Traveller said were his goals in the story, as well as what the narrator said about his character in the story to base your opinion and answer. You must use examples and quotations from the story as support. Give the student the next four class periods to work on this essay, reminding her of how the essay will be graded according to the attached rubric. The timing of the student’s work on the essay should be as follows: Lesson 72: Organization and Preparation—The student should use past journal responses, study questions, and notes and spend time organizing theses pieces into topics. Lesson 73: Preparing an Outline and First Draft—The student should then use his organized notes to prepare an outline of the essay. Then, begin a first draft. Lesson 74: Editing the Rough Draft—The student should edit his rough draft to create a second draft. Lesson 75: Preparing the Final Draft—The student will type a final copy, possibly going through the peer editing process to make any final changes, additions, or revisions.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—2
This reflective essay based on The Time Machine will be graded using the rubric below. Be sure to discuss these grading procedures with the student before giving time to work on the essay so that he is aware of the characteristics that need to be apparent in the writing. Reflective Essay Rubric Score
Writing Trait
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Organization and Ideas: • Main idea is clear and well developed. • Descriptive details are included. • Introduction, body, and conclusion give a logical sequence and organization of ideas. • Examples and explanation are given.
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Grammar Usage: • The essay is free of run-on sentences and fragments. • Sentences are well-written and use correct subjectverb agreement.
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Comments
Punctuation and Spelling: Punctuation is correct throughout the essay. • Capitalization is correct throughout the essay. • Spelling errors do not exist.
•
Lesson Wrap-Up: Stress that the assignment for Lessons 72–75 is very comprehensive. Encourage the student to put forth his best effort and that spending ample time in the pre-writing process will give him plenty of material to use in his essay.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—1
Lessons 72–75
The Time Machine Writing Assignment: Organization and Preparation Preparing an Outline and First Draft Editing the Rough Draft Preparing the Final Draft
What happened to the Time Traveller? For the next four Lessons, you will be writing a reflective essay relating to the reading of The Time Machine by H. G. Wells. You will base your essay on the following premise: The Time Machine ends with a mystery. Reflect upon your past journal entries, your responses to the study questions, and your reading of the novel to write a 500 word essay to explain what you think happened to the Time Traveller and why. Refer to what the Time Traveller said were his goals, as well as what the narrator said about his character in the story to base your opinion and answer. You must use examples and quotations from the story to support your position.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—2
Study the rubric below so that you include the necessary elements to write a strong essay. Reflective Essay Rubric Score
Writing Trait
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
•
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
3 (Mastery) 2 (Average) 1 (Needs improvement)
Comments
Organization and Ideas: Main idea is clear and well developed. • Descriptive details are included. • Introduction, body, and conclusion give a logical sequence and organization of ideas. • Examples and explanation are given.
Grammar Usage: • The essay is free of run-on sentences and fragments. • Sentences are well-written and use correct subjectverb agreement.
Punctuation and Spelling: Punctuation is correct throughout the essay. • Capitalization is correct throughout the essay. • Spelling errors do not exist.
•
Begin the pre-writing process by looking back through your journal responses, study questions, and notes and organizing them by topic. In the next Lesson, Lesson 73, once you have organized your notes, you will create an outline and rough draft of how your reflective paper will flow. Then, in Lesson 74, you will edit your rough draft and create a second draft. In Lesson 75, you may be engaged in a peer editing process to review and edit your essay one more time.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 72–75—3
When peer editing, it is important to follow these guidelines: Step 1: Give compliments—It is important to give praise for something you liked about the paper. Step 2: Give suggestions—It is important to be specific and give ideas for how to make the paper better. Pay particular attention to areas included on the rubric you know you will be graded. Step 3: Make corrections—It is helpful to the writer to make corrections in any spelling or grammatical errors you find when you are editing. After your essay has been peer edited, you will make all final corrections, changes or revisions and type the final copy of the essay. If you do not participate in peer editing during this final Lesson, you will prepare your final draft and submit your essay for grading according to the rubric. Lesson Wrap-Up: Your assignment over the next three Lessons is a big one, and one that requires your best effort. It will be well worth it to spend ample time in the pre-writing process. That will give you plenty of material to use in your essay. It will be easier to hit the 500 word target if you have lots of details. Give it your best effort!
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 76—1
Lesson 76
Grammar—Part II: Defining a Noun
Objective: The student will be able to identify and use proper and common nouns. Key Vocabulary Needed: Common Noun, Proper Noun Engage: Engaging Question: Why do you think the words “common” and “proper” have been used to identify specific types of nouns? What could that possibly mean? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student should begin by responding to the Engaging Question in her journal. The ideal entry point into Grammar Lessons is by citing real examples of grammatical, punctuation and sentence structure errors in the student’s written assignments. By showing the errors, and how they affected his grade as well as his reader’s understanding of what he was trying to convey will help put these Lessons in context. The Grammar Unit begins with a basic overview of two types of nouns-common and proper. The student will be given examples and then be asked to complete an activity to demonstrate his understanding. Assign the Nouns Practice Sheet for the student to complete at the end of this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to write five sentences using one common noun and one proper noun in each.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 76—1
Lesson 76
Grammar—Part II: Defining a Noun
Why do you think the words “common” and “proper” have been used to identify specific types of nouns? What could that possibly mean? In this Lesson, we will specifically examine the two types of nouns. A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. Examples of nouns are as follows: person = the President, John, teacher place = park, Times Square, Michigan thing = ball, clock, Declaration of Independence idea = joy, sadness, truth There are two types of nouns that we will be working with—common nouns and proper nouns . Common nouns are the general names for a person, place, thing, or idea. Examples of common nouns are teacher, park, and ball. Proper nouns name a specific person, place, thing, or idea. Proper nouns are identified by the capitalization. Examples of proper nouns include John Smith, Detroit, and English. Look at the following examples that name the type of noun underlined in each sentence. EX. Mr. Smith went to the bookstore. Proper Common EX. The football team scored 12 points in the first half. Common EX. How sad it was for the parents to watch their daughter go off to college. Common Common Common EX. I think that pizza is my favorite food. Common EX. The Rocky Mountains in Colorado are beautiful. Proper Proper
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 76—2
Nouns Practice Sheet Complete the Nouns Practice Sheet following the directions as given. Directions: In each sentence, identify each noun and tell whether it is proper or common. 1. It is time to conclude our meeting for the day. Meeting (c) , day (c) 2. I had a ham sandwich for lunch today. Ham sandwich ( c ), lunch ( c ) 3. The story began to puzzle me when it did not make sense anymore. Story ( c ) 4. I was filled with terror when my brother hid under my bed and grabbed my leg. Terror ( c ), brother ( c ), bed ( c ), leg ( c ) 5. Alan struck a match so he could light the candle. Alan (p), match ( c ), candle ( c ) 6. Jack scored the final point for the Bayville Tigers and won the MVP award. Proper Proper Proper 7. The third graders sold more peanut butter cookies than the fourth graders. Common Proper Common 8. Mr. Anderson and his dog walked along the Blue River. Proper Common Proper Lesson Wrap-Up: Write five sentences using one common noun and one proper noun in each.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 77—1
Lesson 77
Grammar—Part II: Singular and Plural Nouns
Objective: The student will be able to identify and use singular and plural nouns in writing correctly. Key Vocabulary: Singular noun, Plural noun Engage: Engaging Question: What is the difference between singular and plural? Can you think of a situation where is would make a big difference if something was singular when it was supposed to be plural? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin the Lesson by instructing the student to respond to the Engaging Question. The student will then examine the difference between two types of nouns and learn how to convert from a singular to a plural noun. First, explain the difference between singular and plural nouns before reviewing the Table included in the student portion of the Lesson. Singular Nouns—A singular noun is one person, place, thing or idea. Examples of singular nouns are: ball, tree house, principal, and road. In the following example sentences, underline each singular noun: EX. The truck zoomed quickly down the road. EX. How far do you think John can run? EX. James Patterson is my favorite author. EX. Michigan is famous for its Great Lakes. Plural Nouns—A plural noun names MORE THAN ONE person, place, thing, or idea. Examples of plural nouns are boats, trains, race car drivers, and surprises. One of the important concepts to learn is how to turn a singular noun into a plural noun. This can be done in the following way: Lesson Wrap-Up: Mention that there are some nouns which do not follow any of the rules in the table when the plural form is created. Assign the student to use a dictionary or internet resource to find and list 10 nouns that fall into that category.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 77—1
Lesson 77
Grammar—Part II: Singular and Plural Nouns
What is the difference between singular and plural? Can you think of a situation where is would make a big difference if something was singular when it was supposed to be plural? In the previous Grammar Lessons, you learned that a noun represents a person, place, thing, or idea. Nouns can be singular or plural. In this Lesson, we will look at the difference between these two types of nouns and learn how to convert from a singular to a plural noun. Singular Nouns—A singular noun is ONE person, place, thing or idea. Examples of singular nouns are: ball, tree house, principal, and road. In the following example sentences, underline each singular noun: EX. The truck zoomed quickly down the road. EX. How far do you think John can run? EX. James Patterson is my favorite author. EX. Michigan is famous for its Great Lakes. Plural Nouns—A plural noun names MORE THAN ONE person, place, thing, or idea. Examples of plural nouns are boats, trains, race car drivers, and surprises. One of the important concepts to learn is how to turn a singular noun into a plural noun. This can be done in the following way: Type of Noun Most nouns
Change Add s to the end
Nouns ending in s, sh, ch, x, or z Add es to the end
Example boat ´ boats church´FKXUFKHV
Nouns ending in o
Add s to the end of most nouns volcano´YROFDQRV
Nouns ending in o
Add es to a few that end in o
Nouns ending in y
Change the y to an i and add es city´FLWLHV
Nouns ending in a y with a vowel preceding the y
Add s to the end
pray ´ prays
Nouns ending in f or fe
Change the f to a v and add es
elf ´ elves
Nouns ending in f or fe
In a few, add an s at the end
belief ´ beliefs
Other nouns
Keep the same spelling
moose ´ moose
tomato ´ tomatoes
Lesson Wrap-Up: It is important to note that there are some nouns which do not follow any of the rules in the table above when the plural form is created.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 77—2
List 10 nouns that fall into the "singular noun" category.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 78—1
Lesson 78
Singular and Plural Nouns Assessment
Objective: The student’s understanding of Singular and Plural Nouns will be assessed. Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student is to complete this Assessment in class. When finished, review the student’s answers and discuss each answer the student may have gotten wrong. Singular and Plural Nouns Practice Answer Key: Part 1: Write the plural form of each word. backpack potato fish chief patch pie student stray [backpacks, potatoes, fish, chiefs, patches, pies, students, strays] Part 2: Rewrite each sentence by using the plural form of the underlined word. The two mother threw their children great party. The two mothers threw their children great parties. Have you ever seen giraffe and zebra at the zoo? Have you ever seen giraffes and zebras at the zoo? The leader of the five group were ready to begin. The leaders of the five groups were ready to begin. We snacked on several type of vegetable and fruit. We snacked on several types of vegetables and fruit. Lesson Wrap-Up: Write the singular and plural of a noun ending in each of the following ways: Nouns ending in s, sh, ch, x, or z, Nouns ending in o, Nouns ending in f or fe
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 78—1
Lesson 78
Singular and Plural Nouns Assessment
To assess your progress, complete the Singular and Plural Nouns Practice following the directions as given. Lesson Wrap-Up: When you are finished with the Assessment, think of a noun, that ends in each of the following ways, the write its singular and plural forms. Nouns ending in s, sh, ch, x, or z, Nouns ending in o, Nouns ending in f or fe
Singular and Plural Nouns Assessment Part 1: Write the plural form of each word.
backpack
potato
fish
chief
patch
pie
student
stray
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 78—2
Part 2: Rewrite each sentence by using the plural form of the underlined word. The two mother threw their children great party.
Have you ever seen giraffe and zebra at the zoo?
The leader of the five group were ready to begin.
We snacked on several type of vegetable and fruit.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 79—1
Lesson 79
Possessive Nouns
Objective: The student will be able to identify and use possessive nouns correctly in writing. Key Vocabulary Needed: Possessive noun Engage: Engaging Question: What does possessive mean? What does it mean when someone is described as “possessive”? How do you show that something is yours in speech or in writing? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about possessive nouns and complete activities to practice. The assessment piece for the Lesson is the Possessive Nouns Practice, which the student will complete at the end of the Lesson. Possessive Nouns Practice Answer Key: Prince Peter took ________________ (Knight Ferdinand) Knight Ferdinand’s flag and ____________________ (Blacksmith Solomon) Blacksmith Solomon’s steel. He took ______________________ (Captain Bartholomew) Captain Bartholomew’s boat and ________________________ (Baker McGhee) Bake McGhee’s last meal! He claimed the ______________________ (classroom) classroom’s candles and the ________________________ (Shannon sisters) Shannon sisters’ kittens. He even stole all of the ______________________ (women) women’s hats and the __________________ (children) children’s poor mittens! ______________________ (Prince Peter) Prince Peter’s palace was full of all the ____________________ (villagers) villagers’ things. To make room, he had to remove all of the kings! After a while, Peter couldn’t squeeze through the ______________ (castle) castle door. In fact, Peter couldn’t even see his own bedroom floor! The crowded castle swelled from the load. Oh no! Look out! It’s about to explode! The prince was homeless and singing the blues. The villagers came to ________________ (Peter) Peter’s rescue when they heard the news. They came up the hill with ________________________ (Carpenter Chris) Carpenter Chris’s building tools. All of the gear was strapped to the seven many mules.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 79—2
With ______________________ (Mason Smith) Mason Smith’s stones, ______________________ (Logger Logan) Logger Logan’s wood, and _______________________ (Bricklayer Benjamin) Bricklayer Benjamin’s bricks, at the top of the hill they stood. Prince Peter couldn’t believe his eyes. What did he do to deserve such a prize? The villagers helped him in his hour of need, even after his awful display of selfishness and greed. Peter collected the__________________ (villagers) villagers’ things, which were scattered all over the land. He returned them to each person and vowed to never make another selfish demand. Now Peter doesn’t have many fancy belongings like clothing, coins, or gold. He discovered that friendship is a far more important possession to behold. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student look back over her answers. Take the time to discuss any examples that the student found challenging.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 79—1
Lesson 79
Possessive Nouns
What does it mean when someone is described as “possessive”? What does possessive mean? How do you show that something is yours in speech or in writing? In this Lesson, we will examine possessive nouns, which are nouns that show ownership. Possessive nouns are most commonly recognized by an apostrophe s. It is important to understand how to show possession correctly because an apostrophe placed in an incorrect position can affect the meaning of the word. Let’s examine the rules for creating possessive nouns: Type of Noun
Change
Example
Singular noun
Add an apostrophe s
John John’s car
Plural noun ending in s
Add an apostrophe after the s
kids kids’s games
Plural noun NOT ending in s
Add an apostrophe s
children children’s toys
Practice using possessive nouns by rewriting the following sentences using a possessive noun. EX. The mountains height was amazing to see.
EX. The tour guides directions caused us to get lost.
EX. The monkeys mother watched over them all day.
Lesson Wrap-Up: Look back over your answers for the Worksheet. Are there any examples that really stumped you? Take the time to discuss the challenging examples with your teacher.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 79—2
Possessive Nouns Practice As an assessment, complete the Possessive Nouns Practice Sheet following the directions as given. Directions: Read the passage below and write the possessive form of the noun in the blanks provided. Long ago, in a kingdom far away, there lived a greedy young prince named Peter Pen. Peter took things from all of the women and all of the men. Peter would pout whenever he didn’t have his way. “Give that to me!” you would hear him say.
Prince Peter took ____________________________________________ (Knight Ferdinand) flag and _________________________________________________(Blacksmith Solomon) steel. He took ____________________________________________________ (Captain Bartholomew) boat and _______________________________________ (Baker McGhee) last meal! He claimed the _______________________________ (classroom) candles and the ____________________________________________________ (Shannon sisters) kittens. He even stole all of the ______________________ (women) hats and the ___________________________ (children) poor mittens! _____________________________________ (Prince Peter) palace was full of all the _____________________________ (villagers) things. To make room, he had to remove all of the kings! After a while, Peter couldn’t squeeze through the _______________________ (castle) door. In fact, Peter couldn’t even see his own bedroom floor! The crowded castle swelled from the load. Oh no! Look out! It’s about to explode! The prince was homeless and singing the blues. The villagers came to ___________________
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 79—3
(Peter) rescue when they heard the news. They came up the hill with ___________________________________________ (Carpenter Chris) building tools. All of the gear was strapped to the seven many mules. With ______________________________________________ (Mason Smith) stones, ______________________________________________ (Logger Logan) wood, and ____________________________________________________________ (Bricklayer Benjamin) bricks, at the top of the hill they stood. Prince Peter couldn’t believe his eyes. What did he do to deserve such a prize? The villagers helped him in his hour of need, even after his awful display of selfishness and greed. Peter collected the ____________________________ (villagers) things, which were scattered all over the land. He returned them to each person and vowed to never make another selfish demand. Now Peter doesn’t have many fancy belongings like clothing, coins, or gold. He discovered that friendship is a far more important possession to behold
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 80—1
Lesson 80
Nouns Assessment
Objective: The student’s understanding of nouns will be assessed. Engage: Engaging Question: How many different types of nouns were introduced in the previous four Lessons? [5] Which type do you think is the most difficult to understand and use correctly? Why do you feel this way? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will take the Nouns Assessment to demonstrate his understanding of nouns. You should take the beginning of the class period, prior to giving the Nouns Assessment, to review the concepts taught in this small unit regarding nouns including: common versus proper nouns, singular versus plural nouns, and possessive nouns. Nouns Assessment Answer Key: (1) Proper, singular (2) Common, plural (3) Common, plural (4) Common, plural (5) Common, singular (6) Common, singular (7) Common, plural (8) Common, singular (9) Common, plural (10) Common, plural (11) Common, plural (12) Common, singular (13) Common, plural (14) Proper, singular Goats Trees Hobbies Chefs Teeth Watches Deer Babies
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 80—1
Lesson 80
Nouns Assessment
How many different types of nouns were introduced in the previous four Lessons? Which type do you think is the most difficult to understand and use correctly? Why do you feel this way? In this Lesson you will demonstrate what you have learned about nouns. You are being assessed on what you have learned about nouns. Complete the exercises below following the directions as given.
Nouns Assessment Part 1: Read the following passage and identify each underlined noun as common or proper, singular or plural.
The anticipation and excitement were building as Suzie’s 10th birthday approached. Tomorrow would be the day of the big birthday party—an extravaganza at Pizza Palace (1) where Suzie and her friends (2) would feast on greasy cheese pizza, watch a show filled with puppets, large characters, dancing and singing, and play lots and lots of arcade games (3) Every year Suzie’s mom Anna pulls out all of the stops for her birthday party, since she is an only child, to show her how excited Suzie’s parents are that she has made it one year older. As the morning of the party appeared, Suzie took a shower, did her hair, and put on her best party dress so that she would look her prettiest for all of her friends. She was so excited to eat birthday cake and open all of the wonderful presents (4) her friends would bring. Her mom even prepared treat bags for each friend to take home, filled with trinkets and toys representing each friend’s favorites and hobbies. When the party began, Suzie greeted each party-goer (5) with a smile and a party hat and horn to use when they party began. The children shouted and squealed in glee as they slid down the slides on the playscape (6) at Pizza Palace and earned prize tickets (7) by winning the arcade games they were playing. Everyone seemed to be having a great time at the party, and after all the pizza (8) had been eaten and all of the prize tickets had been cashed in for more trinkets (9) and toys, the children (10) began to say their good-byes to Suzie, thanking her for inviting them to her fun birthday bash. When Suzie arrived home with a box full of dolls, games, books (11), and other new toys, she told her mom and dad thank you for the party, and went to bed. Her 10th birthday had been a great success, and she thought about how much older she now felt, and how excited she would be to see what her 11th birthday party (12) would entail. Next year, she hoped to share her special day with friends riding the newest roller coasters (13) at Amusement World (14). List each answer in your writing journal.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 80—2
Part 2: Use each of the following words in a sentence in which you change each singular noun to a plural noun.
Goat
Tree
Hobby
Chef
Tooth
Watch
Deer
Baby
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 81—1
Lesson 81
Defining a Pronoun
Objective: The student will be able to understand and use pronouns. The student will be able to use pronouns effectively and properly in their writing. Key Vocabulary Needed: Pronoun Engage: Engaging Question: Do you know what a pronoun is? How do you use a pronoun in your speech or writing? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Discuss with the student that today she will learn the basics of pronoun use. She has already been refreshed on nouns. Today, the student will be refreshed on pronouns—words used in place of nouns to refer to a person, place, thing, or idea. After discussing or showing various examples and applications for pronouns, assign the Pronoun Practice Activity. Pronoun Practice Activity Answer Key: Part 1—I, my, my, we, we, us, she, her Part 2—it, she, his, their, ours, him Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student rewrite the following passage using pronouns to replace Frannie in the second and third sentences. Yesterday, Frannie went to the store with her friends. Frannie was excited to go with her friends to buy a new video game. Frannie loved playing that video game and was excited to see that the store had the video game in stock. Answer: Yesterday, Frannie went to the store with her friends. She was excited to go with them to buy a new video game. She loved playing it and was excited to see that they had the video game in stock.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 81—1
Lesson 81
Defining a Pronoun
Do you know what a pronoun is? How do you use a pronoun in your speech or writing? There are many different examples of personal pronouns that we may use in writing such as I, she, them, we, you. Below is a more complete list of personal pronouns: Singular Pronouns I, he, she, me, her, his you, my, your, mine, it, him, her, its
Plural Pronouns we, us, they, them, you your, our, ours, yours theirs
When writing, you must use personal pronouns correctly and make sure that they reflect the correct person, number, and case that the remainder of the sentence refers to. For example, if you are writing about more than one person, you would not choose to use I as the pronoun. You should use we or another pronoun showing more than one in number. It is important to pay attention to correct use of the singular or plural form of a pronoun in a particular sentence. Examine the following sentences and identify the personal pronoun used in each: Example: Example: Example: Example:
We are going to the store. I saw the car drive by my house last night. You should have seen that movie! My friends are staying at my house when they come to town next month.
When creating well-written pieces of writing, it is a good idea to use pronouns frequently so that you are not using the name of the person, place, thing, or idea constantly in the piece. This will allow for more flow in writing. Complete the Pronoun Practice Sheet. Lesson Wrap-Up: Rewrite the following passage using pronouns to replace Frannie in the second and third sentences. Yesterday, Frannie went to the store with her friends. Frannie was excited to go with her friends to buy a new video game. Frannie loved playing that video game and was excited to see that the store had the video game in stock.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 81—2
Pronoun Practice Activity Part 1: Circle the correct pronoun to complete each sentence. You’ll have to drive me home at night because (my, mine, I, me) won’t be able to see very well. (My, Mine, I, Me) uncle loves his new car. Whenever I leave my stuff in my locker (my, mine), friend lends me a piece of paper. (We, Us) hoped he wouldn’t exhibit any of his bizarre behavior while the dignitary was visiting. After the concert, (we, us) felt the need to applaud loudly. We are going to have to tell on the bullies if they keep threatening (we, us). Our mother will not disclose her middle name because (she, her) does not like it. I did not intend to hurt (she, her) feelings, so I apologized to her.
Part 2: Write the pronoun that would complete each sentence correctly. 9. He loved his motorcycle and rode _________________ everywhere.
10. Molly bought a present _________________ knew her mother would love.
11. My father would never get rid of __________________ favorite car.
12. The group of girls sang ___________________ favorite song at the talent show.
13. Our neighbor’s pool is larger than __________________.
14. When talking to John, Patty told ________________ that she wasn’t feeling well today.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 82—1
Lesson 82
Subject and Predicate Pronouns
Objective: The student will be able to understand and use subject, predicate, and object pronouns effectively in writing. Key Vocabulary: Subject Pronoun, Predicate Pronoun, and Object Pronoun Engage: Engaging Question: When you think of a subject, what are some things that come to mind? A school subject or a subject of an experiment perhaps? What is a subject and what are some examples of subjects that you can think of? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Explain to the student that a pronoun is a word that replaces a noun or another pronoun. A pronoun can take many places in a sentence, including as a subject, a predicate, or an object. This Lesson will focus on using a pronoun as the subject and predicate of a sentence. The next Lesson will review subject and predicate pronouns and focus on object pronouns. For assessment the student will complete the Subject, Predicate, and Object Pronouns Practice Activity. Subject and Predicate Pronouns Practice Activity Answer Key: Part 1– He (S) Him (P) They (S) They (S) It (S) They (S), them (P) They (S) They (P) Them (P) They (S) Part 2– Them Her She Me My She Lesson Wrap-Up: Explain the connection between knowing how to correctly use pronouns and being considered well spoken.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 82—1
Lesson 82
Subject and Predicate Pronouns
When you think of a subject what are some things that come to mind? A school subject or a subject of an experiment perhaps? What is a subject and what are some examples of subjects that you can think of? We have learned that a pronoun is a word that replaces a noun or another pronoun. A pronoun can take many places in a sentence, including as a subject, a predicate, or an object. Today, we will focus on using a pronoun as the subject and predicate of a sentence. Pronoun as the subject of a sentence—As we already learned, the subject of a sentence tells who or what a sentence is about. Therefore, the pronoun used as the subject will tell who or what the sentence is about. Examples of using a pronoun as a subject can be seen below: EX. I went to the store to buy milk. EX. She was upset with the ending of the movie. EX. We are going to the amusement park tomorrow. Pronoun as the predicate of a sentence—The predicate of a sentence includes the verb of the sentence as well as any words that tell about the verb. When a pronoun is used in the predicate of a sentence, the pronoun will follow a linking verb and refer back to the subject. Examples of pronouns used as predicates can be seen in the following sentences: EX. The lead teachers in the classroom are Mark and I. EX. The winners of the game were Sam and he. Now that you have looked at the examples, complete the Subject, Predicate, and Object Pronouns Practice Activity following the directions as given.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 82—2
Subject and Predicate Pronouns Practice Activity Part 1: Underline the subject or predicate pronouns in each sentence, and mark each pronoun with an (S) for a subject pronoun, and a (P) for a predicate pronoun. John is leaving town. He will be moving out west to warmer weather. Tim and John are going with him.
On their travels out west, they will stop at several tourist areas.
They will be packing a picnic lunch each day so that they don’t become hungry.
It will include sandwiches, chips, fruit, and juice boxes.
They will be taking all of their clothes and furniture with them.
They packed their clothes in a truck and their furniture on a trailer.
Tim checked it each time they stopped to make sure everything was okay.
It took them three days to get to their destination.
They were so happy when they arrived there.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 82—3
Part 2: Underline the object pronoun in each sentence. The swings moved them soaring through the air. The sudden halt in traffic startled her.
Finding a snake in the garden, she tried to catch it.
Annie wants to go to the park with me.
I asked him for help on my homework.
Susan told her parents when she would meet them.
Lesson Wrap-Up: Do you understand the connection between knowing how to correctly use pronouns and being considered well spoken?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—1
Lessons 83–84
Using Subject and Predicate Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Objects in Writing
Objective: The student will use Subject and Predicate Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns in specific writing assignments Engage: Engaging Question: Do you think there should be a grammar rule for how often, or how many times, you use a pronoun instead of a noun in a sentence or paragraph? Why or why not? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Ask the student to respond in her Writing Journal to the Engaging question. Explain that these next two Lessons are designed to pride the student with a complete Grammar review with an emphasis on Subject, Predicate and Object Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Objects. After a brief discussion and review, assign each writing activity to be completed in class. Allow enough time in Lesson 83 and Lesson 84 for the student to complete the writing assignment, then turn it in so you can review her sentences and discuss any corrections that are needed during the class period. Begin Lesson 83 by reviewing Pronouns as the subject and predicate of a sentence. Share some examples of using a pronoun as a subject:
They are very excited to be going to the game. I went to ice skating last night. Then, share a couple examples of using pronouns as the predicates of sentences; remind the student that when a pronoun is used in the predicate of a sentence, the pronoun will follow a linking verb and refer back to the subject. Share an example such as:
The winners of the award were he and I. Begin Lesson 84 by reviewing the two types of objects used in writing: Direct objects are words that name the receiver of the action and answer the question “who” or “what?”. Indirect objects are words that tell to, for whom, or what the action was performed. Then, assign the following writing activities for Lesson 83 and Lesson 84.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—2
Lesson 83: Write a two paragraph essay on what you will be doing after school today. Each paragraph should be at least 3 sentences. Use only pronouns in each sentence. Rewrite the same two paragraph essay without using any pronouns. Rewrite the same two paragraph essay using what you consider to be the right amount of nouns and pronouns. [Answers will vary] Lesson 84: Write a two paragraph essay about your favorite movie. Each paragraph should be at least three sentences. Underline each direct object and indirect object in each sentence of your essay. Write a two paragraph essay of at least three sentences in each paragraph; underline each Subject Pronoun and Predicate Pronoun in each sentence of your essay. [Answers will vary] Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to share his answer to the Engaging Question after he has completed all assignments in Lessons 83 and 84.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—1
Lessons 83–84
Using Subject and Predicate Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Objects in Writing
Do you think there should be a grammar rule for how often, or how many times, you use a pronoun instead of a noun in a sentence or paragraph? Why or why not? During these next two Lessons, you will be completing writing assignments using Subject and Predicate Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Objects. After a brief discussion and review, you will be assigned the following writing activities which are to be completed and reviewed with your teacher during the class period. Lesson 83: Write a two paragraph essay on what you will be doing after school today. Each paragraph should be at least 3 sentences. Use only pronouns in each sentence.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—2
Rewrite the same two paragraph essay without using any pronouns.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—3
Rewrite the same two paragraph essay using what you consider to be the right amount of nouns and pronouns.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—4
Lesson 84: Write a two paragraph essay about your favorite movie. Each paragraph should be at least three sentences. Underline each direct object and indirect object in each sentence of your essay.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—5
Write a two paragraph essay of at least three sentences in each paragraph; underline each Subject Pronoun and Predicate Pronoun in each sentence of your essay.
Lesson Wrap-Up: Share your answer to the Engaging Question with your teacher after you have completed and reviewed each writing assignment in Lessons 83 and 84.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—1
Lessons 83–84
Using Subject and Predicate Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Objects in Writing
Objective: The student will use Subject and Predicate Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns in specific writing assignments Engage: Engaging Question: Do you think there should be a grammar rule for how often, or how many times, you use a pronoun instead of a noun in a sentence or paragraph? Why or why not? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Ask the student to respond in her Writing Journal to the Engaging question. Explain that these next two Lessons are designed to pride the student with a complete Grammar review with an emphasis on Subject, Predicate and Object Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Objects. After a brief discussion and review, assign each writing activity to be completed in class. Allow enough time in Lesson 83 and Lesson 84 for the student to complete the writing assignment, then turn it in so you can review her sentences and discuss any corrections that are needed during the class period. Begin Lesson 83 by reviewing Pronouns as the subject and predicate of a sentence. Share some examples of using a pronoun as a subject:
They are very excited to be going to the game. I went to ice skating last night. Then, share a couple examples of using pronouns as the predicates of sentences; remind the student that when a pronoun is used in the predicate of a sentence, the pronoun will follow a linking verb and refer back to the subject. Share an example such as:
The winners of the award were he and I. Begin Lesson 84 by reviewing the two types of objects used in writing: Direct objects are words that name the receiver of the action and answer the question “who” or “what?”. Indirect objects are words that tell to, for whom, or what the action was performed. Then, assign the following writing activities for Lesson 83 and Lesson 84.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—2
Lesson 83: Write a two paragraph essay on what you will be doing after school today. Each paragraph should be at least 3 sentences. Use only pronouns in each sentence. Rewrite the same two paragraph essay without using any pronouns. Rewrite the same two paragraph essay using what you consider to be the right amount of nouns and pronouns. [Answers will vary] Lesson 84: Write a two paragraph essay about your favorite movie. Each paragraph should be at least three sentences. Underline each direct object and indirect object in each sentence of your essay. Write a two paragraph essay of at least three sentences in each paragraph; underline each Subject Pronoun and Predicate Pronoun in each sentence of your essay. [Answers will vary] Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to share his answer to the Engaging Question after he has completed all assignments in Lessons 83 and 84.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—1
Lessons 83–84
Using Subject and Predicate Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Objects in Writing
Do you think there should be a grammar rule for how often, or how many times, you use a pronoun instead of a noun in a sentence or paragraph? Why or why not? During these next two Lessons, you will be completing writing assignments using Subject and Predicate Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Objects. After a brief discussion and review, you will be assigned the following writing activities which are to be completed and reviewed with your teacher during the class period. Lesson 83: Write a two paragraph essay on what you will be doing after school today. Each paragraph should be at least 3 sentences. Use only pronouns in each sentence.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—2
Rewrite the same two paragraph essay without using any pronouns.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—3
Rewrite the same two paragraph essay using what you consider to be the right amount of nouns and pronouns.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—4
Lesson 84: Write a two paragraph essay about your favorite movie. Each paragraph should be at least three sentences. Underline each direct object and indirect object in each sentence of your essay.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSONS 83–84—5
Write a two paragraph essay of at least three sentences in each paragraph; underline each Subject Pronoun and Predicate Pronoun in each sentence of your essay.
Lesson Wrap-Up: Share your answer to the Engaging Question with your teacher after you have completed and reviewed each writing assignment in Lessons 83 and 84.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 85—1
Lesson 85
Possessive, Reflexive, and Intensive Pronouns
Objective: The student will be able to use possessive, reflexive, and intensive pronouns correctly in writing. Key Vocabulary: Possessive Pronoun, Reflexive Pronoun, Intensive Pronoun Engage: Engaging Question: What does possessive mean? What might a possessive pronoun be? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Today’s Lesson explains what a possessive pronoun is and how to use possessive pronouns effectively. The student will also learn the difference between reflexive and intensive pronouns. Explain that a possessive pronoun is a pronoun that shows ownership and that possessive pronouns are sometimes confused with contractions. Stress that it is important to understand that there will never be an apostrophe in a possessive pronoun. If the pronoun needs to be in the sentence for the meaning to be clear, it is a reflexive pronoun. Then explain that if the pronoun can be removed from the sentence with the meaning remaining clear, it is an intensive pronoun. Assign the Possessive Pronoun Practice to assess the student’s understanding of Possessive Pronouns. Possessive Pronoun Practice Answer Key: Part 1– Mine My My My Hers Your His Our Mine Her Part 2– Herself (R) Themselves (R) Herself (I) Himself (R)
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 85—2
Myself (I) Ourselves (R) Himself (R) Herself (R) Himself (R) Herself (R) Lesson Wrap-Up: In his Writing Journal, have the student choose one of the types of pronouns introduced in this Lesson—Possessive, Reflexive or Intensive—and write the reason why he thinks it is named that way. Encourage him to be creative in his response.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 85—1
Lesson 85
Possessive, Reflexive, and Intensive Pronouns
What does possessive mean? What might a possessive pronoun be? Today we will learn what a possessive pronoun is and how to use possessive pronouns effectively. You will also learn the difference between reflexive and intensive pronouns. A possessive pronoun is a pronoun that shows ownership. Possessive pronouns are sometimes confused with contractions, and it is important to note that there will never be an apostrophe in a possessive pronoun. We will examine several examples of possessive pronouns and how they are used: Possessive Pronouns used before nouns: my, your, her, his, its, our, their EX. They will be selling their house next week. EX. Please put your book away. Possessive Pronouns that can stand alone: mine, yours, hers, his, ours, theirs EX. I own a car that I call mine. EX. The car parked outside is hers. Remember that when you are writing, it is important to look carefully to make sure that you have not created a contraction by mistake when trying to use a possessive pronoun. This is a common mistake, and sometimes, computerized spelling checks do not pick up on these errors. Examine the following examples: EX. Incorrect = The bunny was licking it’s feet. Correct = The bunny was licking its feet. EX. Incorrect = The family watched a movie on they’re tv. Correct = The family watched a movie on their tv. We will now also learn two different types of pronouns: reflexive and intensive pronouns, which you will be able to recognize because they end in self or selves. Common pronouns that fall into this list are: myself, yourself, themselves, himself, herself, yourselves, ourselves, itself. Reflexive pronouns—A reflexive pronoun is a word that ends in self or selves and refers to the subject of the sentence. Examples of reflexive pronouns can be seen in the following sentences: EX. The partygoers helped themselves to punch when they arrived at the party. EX. Peter walked himself and his dog home from the store. EX. I am going to buy myself a special treat at the mall.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 85—2
Intensive pronouns—An intensive pronoun is one that puts emphasis on another pronoun or noun in a sentence. Even without the intensive pronoun in the sentence, the sentence will stand alone and the meaning will be understood. This is not the case for reflexive pronouns (they must be included in the sentence in order to understand the meaning of the sentence). Examples of intensive pronouns can be seen in the following sentences: EX. I, myself, am proud of what I have accomplished. (You could eliminate the intensive pronoun and the sentence would still make sense: I am proud of what I have accomplished.) EX. You, yourself, are getting too excited for the party. (You could eliminate the intensive pronoun and the sentence would still make sense: You are getting too excited for the party.) An important point to remember is that possessive pronouns never have apostrophes, and if the pronoun needs to be in the sentence for the meaning to be clear, it is a reflexive pronoun. If you can remove the pronoun from the sentence and have the meaning remain clear, it is an intensive pronoun. Now complete the Possessive, Reflexive, and Intensive Pronouns Practice. Lesson Wrap-Up: In your Writing Journal, choose one of the types of pronouns introduced in this Lesson—Possessive, Reflexive or Intensive—and write the reason why you think it is named that way.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 85—3
Possessive, Reflexive, and Intensive Pronouns Practice Part 1: Place the correct possessive pronoun in the blank in each sentence.
Mr. Smith’s yard is as big as __________________
That is _______________ pencil because it had my name on it.
Sometimes _______________ arms hurt when I swim all day long.
__________________ mom is my best friend.
__________________is the best recipe for fried chicken I have ever had!
Dropping ___________________ books in the school hallway is very humiliating.
Tommy won a ribbon for _________________ art project.
_________________ hotel room is the fourth door down the hallway on the left.
Ashley is a friend of _____________________.
Harriet is known for __________________ beautiful Christmas decorations on her house every year.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 85—4
Part 2: In each sentence, underline the reflexive or intensive pronoun and label it as reflexive (R) or intensive (I).
Anita never would have imagined herself winning the school spelling bee.
Tracy and Paul taught themselves how to do the algebra homework they were given to complete.
She, herself, was amazed at the beautiful artwork she created.
Bobby walked himself home after he missed the school bus.
I, myself, couldn’t believe my eyes!
We prepared ourselves a four-course meal for dinner.
Instead of taking his car to the body shop, he decided to fix it himself.
Her mom’s advice was to just enjoy herself on vacation.
Sam was excited with the cake he baked himself.
She sat by herself because she was shy.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 86—1
Lesson 86
Interrogative and Demonstrative Pronouns
Objective: The student will be able to understand how to use interrogative and demonstrative pronouns correctly and effectively in writing. Key Vocabulary Needed: Interrogative, Demonstrative Engage: Engaging Question: Knowing what it means to interrogate a person, what could be an example of an interrogative pronoun? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will examine two more important types of pronouns used in writing that are commonly used inappropriately: interrogatives and demonstratives. The student will complete activities that allow for practice using these types of pronouns. To assess student progress, assign the Interrogative and Demonstrative Pronoun Practice. Interrogative and Demonstrative Pronoun Practice Answer Key: That (D) Who (I) Which (I) This (D) Whom (I) Who (I) Those (D) That (D) Which (I) Whom (I) Those (D) That (D) These (D) Who (I) Lesson Wrap-Up: Remind the student that interrogative sentences end with question marks and demonstrative sentences end with periods, and that, when looking for interrogative pronouns and demonstrative pronouns, the end punctuation might help to identify the pronoun.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 86—1
Lesson 86
Interrogative and Demonstrative Pronouns
Knowing what it means to interrogate a person, what could be an example of an interrogative pronoun? Today, we will examine two more important types of pronouns used in writing that are commonly used inappropriately: interrogatives and demonstratives. Interrogative—An interrogative is a pronoun that introduces a question (think: interrogative sentence is a sentence that includes a question). The common interrogative pronouns that are used in writing are: who, what, which, whose, and whom. It is common in writing to see students use who and whom in incorrect ways. It is easy to get this correct if you remember that who is used as a subject or predicate of a sentence, and whom is always used as an object. Examine the following examples: EX. Who stole my lunch? Used as a subject EX. I need to ask who? Used as a predicate EX. To whom are you referring? Used as an object Demonstrative—A demonstrative pronoun points out a specific person, place, thing, or idea. The most common demonstrative pronouns are: this, that, these, and those. Examples of demonstrative pronouns can be seen in the following sentences: EX. That is the funniest story I have ever read! EX. Those shoes look great on you. EX. This is my dog’s favorite toy. Listed below are some examples of interrogative and demonstrative pronouns used in sentences. Identify the underlined pronoun as interrogative or demonstrative. EX. Who are you waiting for? Interrogative EX. These songs are my favorites. Demonstrative EX. This weather is getting really bad. Demonstrative EX. With whom will you be riding to the party? Interrogative EX. That dog sleeps all day. Demonstrative Complete the Interrogative and Demonstrative Pronouns Practice following the directions as given.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 86—2
Interrogative and Demonstrative Pronouns Practice Directions: Underline the interrogative or demonstrative pronoun and identify it as I or D.
That concert was the best I have ever been to. Who is your favorite teacher in school? Which set of directions are you going to use to get there? This book belongs to my best friend Jane. To whom did you send the letter? The leader of the group is who? Those cookies are the best I have ever tasted. That car used to be driven by his sister. Which present are you going to give the new baby? With whom did you take your Biology class? Those flowers make our backyard smell nice. That is the most wonderful book I have ever read. These last few days have been some of the hottest of the summer. Who let our dog run loose around the neighborhood? Lesson Wrap-Up: You may remember that interrogative sentences end with question marks and demonstrative sentences end with periods. When you are looking for interrogative pronouns and demonstrative pronouns, the end punctuation might help you decide how to identify the pronoun.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 87—1
Lesson 87
Pronoun Agreement
Objective: The student will be able to understand how to make a pronoun agree with the antecedent. Key Vocabulary: Antecedent Engage: Engaging Question: Do pronouns have to agree with the nouns in the same sentence? Why would this make sense? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Lesson Eighty-One explained that a pronoun is a word used to take the place of a noun or another pronoun. An antecedent is something that has gone before or comes before. Today, the student will learn how to make sure that there is agreement between the pronoun and the antecedent. He will also learn about pronoun agreement. To assess student learning, assign the Pronoun Agreement Practice Sheet. Go over these examples and ask the student to decide if the pronoun agrees with its antecedent. The answers are given below. EX. EX. EX. EX. EX. EX.
Anna and Maria threw a birthday party for their mother. Yes Grace wants to drive his new car. No We are going with you to the mall tomorrow. Yes Why do you think Darcy wants to meet me. Yes I like to bake. Making cakes is my favorite. Yes Mr. Anderson’s class drives them crazy. No
Pronoun Agreement Practice Sheet Answer Key: Lake- it She-her Tim, Joey- they Animals- they Mary- she, her I- my Contestants- their Rudy- she Students- their Sam- his, he We- our Lesson Wrap-Up: Remind the student that there are many important rules governing how to correctly use pronouns and that understanding and following them will improve her speaking and writing skills.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 87—1
Lesson 87
Pronoun Agreement
Previously you learned that a pronoun is a word used to take the place of a noun or another pronoun. An antecedent is something that has gone before or comes before. Today, we will learn how to make sure that there is agreement between the pronoun and the antecedent. An antecedent can be in the same sentence as the pronoun it refers to, or it can be in a different sentence. There are three different ways that an antecedent must agree with the pronoun: There must be agreement in number—If the pronoun you are using is a singular pronoun such as I or she, the antecedent should be singular as well, meaning that the pronoun refers to only one person, place, thing, or idea. EX. Susan took her dog for a walk. The pronoun her is the singular pronoun referring to the singular antecedent Susan. EX. Mark and Tammy went to their parents’ house for dinner last night. The pronoun their is the plural pronoun referring to Mark and Tammy, the plural antecedent. There must be agreement in person—If the pronoun you are using is in first person, second person, or third person, the antecedent must match this person. EX. The teacher of the class is Mrs. Miller. She will help us everyday. The pronoun she is in the third person, referring to Mrs. Miller, which is also in the third person. EX. Will you tell us how your husband proposed? The pronoun you is in the second person, referring to the second person your. There must be agreement in gender—If you are using a feminine or masculine pronoun, the gender of the antecedent must match that of the pronoun. EX. Rita went to the restaurant with her sister. The feminine pronoun her matches the antecedent, which is also feminine. EX. The boy and his dog were best friends. The masculine pronoun his refers to the boy, which is also masculine.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 87—2
Now look at the sentences below and decide if the pronoun agrees with its antecedent. EX. EX. EX. EX. EX. EX.
Anna and Maria threw a birthday party for their mother. Grace wants to drive his new car. We are going with you to the mall tomorrow. Why do you think Darcy wants to meet me. I like to bake. Making cakes is my favorite. Mr. Anderson’s class drives them crazy.
Now that you have more practice, complete the Pronoun Agreement Practice by following the directions as given. Lesson Wrap-Up: Remember, there are many rules governing how to correctly use pronouns. They are all important and will help your speaking and writing skills to be strong.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 87—3
Pronoun Agreement Practice Sheet Directions: In each sentence, underline the pronoun and circle its antecedent.
The beauty of the lake causes many people to buy houses around it.
Hannah asked if she could take a picture of her friends.
Tim and Joey bought the candy bars they wanted from the party store.
The animals at the zoo were very active. They were fun to watch today.
Mary does not work outside the home but she takes care of her kids at home each day.
I love football. My favorite team is the Wolverines.
The pageant contestants displayed their natural beauty.
Trudy was tired. She took a nap when she came home.
The students in the cafeteria threw food at their principal.
When Sam bought his new car, he was so excited.
We received a generous donation for our charity.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 88—1
Lesson 88
Indefinite Pronoun Agreement
Objective: The student will be able to correctly use indefinite pronouns. Key Vocabulary: Indefinite pronoun Engage: Engaging Question: Thinking of what the word indefinite means, what might that mean as far as a pronoun? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, we will complete our examination of pronouns by looking at indefinite pronouns, which are pronouns that do not refer to a specific person, place, thing, or idea. This type of pronoun can be singular or plural and we will learn how to use them in both forms. Teach the Lesson on indefinite pronoun agreement. To assess student progress, assign the Indefinite Pronoun Agreement Practice. Indefinite Pronoun Agreement Practice Answer Key: His or her Their Their Their Their His He Their Their Their Lesson Wrap-Up: Engage the student in a discussion of actual examples she has heard of someone using incorrect language use; ask the student to think of actual examples she may have heard recently.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 88—1
Lesson 88
Indefinite Pronoun Agreement
Thinking of what the word indefinite means, what might that mean as far as a pronoun? In this Lesson, we will complete our examination of pronouns by looking at indefinite pronouns, which are pronouns that do not refer to a specific person, place, thing, or idea. This type of pronoun can be singular or plural and we will learn how to use them in both forms. Below is a list of singular pronouns that may be used in a sentence. It is easy to remember that most singular pronouns end in one, thing, or body. another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, something Examples of singular indefinite pronouns used in sentences can be seen below: EX. Each child in the class brought his or her own lunch. Notice that his or her are the singular personal pronouns, referring to the indefinite pronoun each. EX. Anyone in the car could have turned off his music. Notice that anyone is the singular indefinite pronoun, referring to his music, which tells that there were only men in the car. Below is a list of common plural indefinite pronouns that you may use: both, few, many, several Examine the following example sentences using plural indefinite pronouns: EX. Many people showed their spirit at the football game. Notice that the plural personal indefinite pronoun their is used to refer to the plural indefinite pronoun many in this sentence. EX. Both Susan and Fred brought their mother a birthday present. Notice that the plural personal pronoun their is used to refer to the plural pronoun both in this sentence. Look at the following sentences to see the correct indefinite pronoun that should fit into each sentence. EX. One went to (her, their) house to visit. Her EX. Both were surprised at (his, their) quiz scores. Their EX. Each would go (his, their) separate way. His Complete the Indefinite Pronoun Agreement Practice Sheet following the directions as given.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 88—2
Indefinite Pronoun Agreement Practice Sheet Directions: Choose the correct pronoun to complete each sentence.
Anybody who needs help can ask (his or her, their) teacher.
Few attend (her, their) high school class reunions.
Most of the drivers on the road swerved (their, its) cars when they saw the accident.
Most students earned passing scores on (their, his) tests.
None of the girls wanted (her, their) diaries read by anyone.
Everybody went (his, their) own separate way.
No one realized that (they, he) would be given extra time on the assignment.
Each was excited to see (her, their) mother picking her up from camp.
Some would become anxious because of (their, his) first day of school.
None of the animals in the barn wanted (its, their) supper.
Lesson Wrap-Up: Many times when you hear people speak, you will hear incorrect language use. Usually this is because the pronouns don’t agree with the antecedents. Can you think of any examples of incorrect language you have heard recently?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 89—1
Lesson 89
Pronoun Assessment
Objective: The student will be able to display understanding of pronoun usage. Engage: Engaging Question: What have you learned about pronouns? How can you use this in your writing? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Today, the student will be assessed on his knowledge and understanding of correct pronoun usage. The student should take the Pronoun Assessment to display this knowledge. Pronoun Assessment Answer Key: Part 1: Choose the correct pronoun that completes each sentence. My laundry felt dry, so (I, me) took it out of the machine early. I The attendant at the watch stand performed a test on my watch to see why it kept dying on (I, me). me When he rode the subway, (he, him) only had a 15-minute ride to work. he (He, Him) came to America with his parents when he was only 5 years old. He Are we going to wait for (you, your, yours)? yours You can get sick from food poisoning if (you, your, yours) food is not washed and prepared properly. your (Her, She) poured the milk all over the floor. She Maria said (her, she) finally finished her favorite book. she Mark was excited to see (she, her) at the mall today. her Sam was proud of (his, him) business profits this month. his Because the ceremony was long, Peter had to cancel (his, him) dinner with parents. his (Who, Whom) was the speaker at graduation? Who To (who, whom) did you send that letter? whom
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 89—2
(What, Which) is the cost of a matinee at the movie theater? What “Keep up the good work,” our teacher told (we, us). us I wondered why (we, us) lost our power in the middle of the day. we
Sally was amazed to see how many of her fellow classmates came to her birthday party. Her mother sent out invitations to all of her friends, and they all came to celebrate with her. The party menu consisted of Sally’s favorite foods: macaroni and cheese and hot dogs. Everybody enjoyed the food as much as she did, and they ate every last bit that Sally’s mother had prepared. Next came the party games that they played. The first game they played was “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”Sally’s friend Tommy won this game and his prize was a yo-yo. Then, the children all played “Simon Says.” After games, the children wanted Sally to open everyone’s presents that they had brought her. Sally said her favorite present was the new doll that her friend Amy had brought to her. Sally’s party had been such a success that she made her mom promise to throw her another birthday party again next year.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 89—1
Lesson 89
Pronoun Assessment
What have you learned about pronouns? How can you use this in your writing? For this Lesson you will be assessed on your knowledge and understanding of correct pronoun usage. You can show what you know! Complete the Pronoun Assessment following the directions as given.
Pronoun Assessment Part 1: Choose the correct pronoun that completes each sentence. My laundry felt dry, so (I, me) took it out of the machine early. The attendant at the watch stand performed a test on my watch to see why it kept dying on (I, me). When he rode the subway, (he, him) only had a 15-minute ride to work. (He, Him) came to America with his parents when he was only 5 years old. Are we going to wait for (you, your, yours)? You can get sick from food poisoning if (you, your, yours) food is not washed and prepared properly. (Her, She) poured the milk all over the floor. Maria said (her, she) finally finished her favorite book. Mark was excited to see (she, her) at the mall today. Sam was proud of (his, him) business profits this month. Because the ceremony was long, Peter had to cancel (his, him) dinner with parents. (Who, Whom) was the speaker at graduation?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 89—2
To (who, whom) did you send that letter? (What, Which) is the cost of a matinee at the movie theater? “Keep up the good work,” our teacher told (we, us). I wondered why (we, us) lost our power in the middle of the day. Part 2: Read the story below. There are eight pronoun usage errors in the story. Underline each error, and correct it above.
Sally was amazed to see how many of their fellow classmates came to her birthday party. Her
mother sent out invitations to all of her friends, and they all came to celebrate with us. The party
menu consisted of Sally’s favorite foods: macaroni and cheese and hot dogs. Anybody enjoyed the
food as much as she did, and they ate every last bit that Sally’s mother had prepared. Next came
the party games that he played. The first game their played was “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” Sally’s
friend Tommy won this game and her prize was a yo-yo. Then, the children all played “Simon Says.”
After games, the children wanted Sally to open everybody’s presents that they had brought her. Sally
said her favorite present was the new doll that her friend Amy had brought to them. Sally’s party
had been such a success that she made her mom promise to throw her another birthday party again
next year.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 90—1
Lesson 90
Grammar—Part III: Defining a Verb
Objective: The student will be able to understand all of the various types of verbs that they may use in writing. Key Vocabulary: Verb Engage: Engaging Question: What is a verb? What is its purpose in writing? How is it different from a noun for example? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about the types of verbs. The student will be given several example sentences for each type. She will also be given activities to practice using verbs properly. The answers to the examples in the Lesson are as follows: First example: action Second example: helping Third example: linking Fourth example: linking Fifth example: helping Sixth example: action Seventh example: action The Verbs Practice is to be completed at the end of the Lesson. Verbs Practice Answer Key: Sue and Jane are excited for the upcoming slumber party. (L) It was amazing to see how excited the children were at the sight of the Christmas presents underneath the tree. (L) I asked the teacher to clarify the directions of the assignment. (A), (A) If we work all day, we should be done rebuilding the deck around the pool. (A), (H) She was happy with the way her newly painted bedroom looked. (L) I am the firstborn child in my family. (L) How far do you walk to school each day? (A) I insisted that my mother pack a cookie in my lunch. (A), (A) After I finished reading, I thought the book was great. (A), (A) It rained for two days straight. (A) We filled the pool and cleaned the algae so that we could swim at night. (A), (A), (H) Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student to review the definitions of action, helping, and linking verbs.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 90—1
Lesson 90
Grammar—Part III: Defining a Verb
What is a verb? What is its purpose in writing? How is it different from a noun for example? In this Lesson, you will be introduced to verbs. Let’s start by defining a verb—a word that expresses an action or a state of being. We have already briefly discussed using verbs earlier when we talked about the parts of a sentence. The verb is found in the predicate of a sentence. There are several different types of verbs. Action verbs—An action verb is a word that expresses an action. To find an action verb in a sentence, ask yourself what is the action being performed? There are many different action verbs, and it would be difficult to create a complete list. However, here are some examples of action verbs: walked, bought, fed, talked, taught, thought, made, answered, read, ran, swam, created Action verbs can be seen used in the following example sentences: EX. To get to the store, they walked down the sidewalk along the road. EX. From the beginning of the day, she ate constantly. EX. Molly rode the bus to school everyday. Linking verbs—A linking verb is a word that connects the subject of the sentence to the predicate. Linking verbs are mainly words that are of various forms of the phrase to be. Common linking verbs include the following: is, am, are, were, was, been, being Examples of linking verbs being used in a sentence can be seen below: EX. The roller coasters at the amusement park are scary. EX. She is happy today. Helping verbs—A helping verb is a word that helps the main verb express an action or a particular meaning. It is easy to confuse linking verbs with helping verbs because some linking verbs can also be helping verbs such as: is, am, are, was, were, been, being. It is important to consider each verb in the context of the particular sentence which you are given. Other common helping verbs include: do, does, did, have, has, had, could, should, would, may, might, must, can, shall, will Look at the following sentences that include helping verbs: EX. She should have carried her luggage on the plane instead of checking it. The helping verbs “should have” help express the action word “carried.” EX. Amanda is baking a cake for her mother’s birthday.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 90—2
The helping verb “is” helps express the action of “baking.” EX. Tommy was spending too much money on fast food for lunch each day. The helping verb “was” helps express the action of “spending.” Examine the following sentences and tell whether the underlined verb is an action verb, a linking verb, or a helping verb. EX. Brianna searched for her missing homework in her locker. EX. The car was speeding along the race track. EX. Ashley is afraid of the dark. EX. Pierre’s favorite food is pizza. EX. She walked every morning to get exercise. EX. Mary went to the store for milk and bread. Complete the Verbs Practice Sheet following the directions as given. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review the definitions of action, helping, and linking verbs.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 90—3
Verbs Practice Sheet Directions: Underline the (A) action verb, (L) linking verb, or (H) helping verb in the following sentences. If the verb is an action verb, write A at the end of the sentence. If it is a linking verb, write L at the end of the sentence. If it is a helping verb, write H at the end of the sentence. If there is more than one verb in a sentence, write the letters in order they occur in the sentence representing the types of verbs. Sue and Jane are excited for the upcoming slumber party.
It was amazing to see how excited the children were at the sight of the Christmas presents underneath the tree.
I asked the teacher to clarify the directions of the assignment.
If we work all day, we should be done rebuilding the deck around the pool.
She was happy with the way her newly painted bedroom looked.
I am the firstborn child in my family.
How far do you walk to school each day?
I insisted that my mother pack a cookie in my lunch.
After I finished reading, I thought the book was great.
It rained for two days straight.
We filled the pool and cleaned the algae so that we could swim at night.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 91—1
Lesson 91
Grammar—Part III: Understanding Action Verbs
Objective: The student will be able to recognize transitive and intransitive action verbs within sentences, and will be able to explain their relationship to direct and indirect objects. Key Vocabulary: Direct Object, Indirect Object, Transitive Verb, Intransitive Verb, Complement (of a verb) Engage: Engaging Question: What types of verbs are used in sentences? Are certain verbs used in certain types of sentences? Is there a specific kind of verb used in a question as opposed to a statement? [The answer is no… but these questions can be interesting for the student to consider] Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about direct and indirect objects. She will be given sentence examples to aid in her understanding. It is important to remember that sometimes an action verb will not have a direct object because the word following the action verb is an adverb. This type of sentence is called an intransitive sentence, while those with direct objects are transitive sentences. Lesson Wrap-Up: Assign the Verbs Practice Sheet after you have reviewed the use of direct and indirect objects with the student. Verbs Practice Verb 1.assigns 2.swims 3.play 4.travel 5.drove 6.argued 7.spent 8.requires 9.prepared 10.snorkeled 11.wrote 12.arrested 13.yelled 14.destroyed
Sheet Answer Key: Direct Object Indirect Object project
case money effort, attention dinner
suspect all
Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write six sentences that use direct and indirect objects. Be sure to direct her to do three of each—further examples may reinforce this concept.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 91—1
Lesson 91
Grammar—Part III: Understanding Action Verbs
In Lesson 46, you learned the three types of verbs: action, linking, and helping. When you see an action verb in a sentence, sometimes it will be followed by a word that helps complete its meaning. This word is the complement of the action verb. Direct Object—A direct object is a noun or pronoun that tells who receives the action stated in the sentence. In order to determine the direct object, it is often helpful to ask yourself “to whom or what is the action being done?” In the following sentences, the direct object is underlined. Example: Frannie went home after the football game. The verb is went. To find the direct object, ask yourself, where did Frannie go? Example: Amelia walked to her friend’s house for ice cream. The verb is walked. To find the direct object, ask yourself, where did Amelia walk? Example: We threw a party for our parents’ wedding anniversary. The verb is threw. To find the direct object, ask yourself, what did we throw? It is important to remember that sometimes an action verb will not have a direct object because the word following the action verb is an adverb. This type of sentence is called an intransitive sentence, while those with direct objects are transitive sentences. An example of an intransitive sentence is given below. Example: He drove recklessly. Drove is the action verb, but the adverb recklessly tells how he drove. Indirect Object—The indirect object is a word or phrase that tells to what or whom, or for what or whom, an action is being completed. In the following sentences, the indirect object is underlined. Example: Rita sent her sister a letter in the mail. The indirect object is sister because this is the person to whom Rita sent the letter. Example: She brought her friend flowers when she was in the hospital. The indirect object is friend because this is for whom she brought flowers. Example: Three hours later, the cake he baked for his wife was done. The indirect object is the wife because this is who he baked the cake for. Now, Complete the Verbs Practice following the directions given. Lesson Wrap-Up: Write six sentences that use direct and indirect objects. Be sure to use at least three of each.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 91—2
Verbs Practice Directions: In each sentence, underline the verb, circle its complement, and label the complement as (D) direct object or (I) indirect object.
Mr. Jones assigns a different project to each student.
Johnny swims in the ocean almost every day during the summer.
The animals at the zoo play happily.
She and her husband travel every summer.
The car drove down the road at record speeds.
The lawyer argued his case for his client.
Anna spent too much money when she was shopping.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 91—3
Taking care of a garden requires much effort and close attention.
The chef prepared dinner for his restaurant guests.
Sam snorkeled for the first time on vacation in Mexico.
Tim wrote in his journal every day.
The police chief arrested the suspect he caught on theft charges.
His mother yelled at him for leaving his room a mess.
A flood destroyed all of her belongings in the basement.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 92—1
Lesson 92
Grammar—Part III: Understanding Linking Verbs
Objective: The student will be able to understand and use linking verbs. Key Vocabulary: Linking Verbs, Subject Complement, Adjective Complement, Predicate Noun, Predicate Adjective Engage: Engaging Question: Is the word “link” a noun or a verb? [Answer: Both] Can its two different meanings be compared and contrasted? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will examine linking verbs and come to understand the complement of a linking verb. This is called a subject complement. Linking Verbs Practice Sheet Answer Key: Our school’s marching band seemed thrilled to be in the parade. (PA) The jovial band director is Ms. O’Connor. (PN) His family appeared surprised when he cooked dinner for them. (PA) The scrapbook was beautiful when it was done. (PA) The county fair was crowded with senior citizens. (PA) The boy appeared upset when his dog ran away. (PA) The preschooler seemed nervous the first time he attended school. (PA) The tornado was horrible and caused devastation to many. (PA), (PA) Amanda is president of her school’s student council. (PN) Paul is the author of three books. (PN) Windows are wonderful when they look out on beautiful views. (PA) The teachers seem worried about the new principal. (PA) The crowd was overwhelmed at the come from behind victory. (PA) Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the Linking Verbs Practice Sheet.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 92—1
Lesson 92
Grammar—Part III: Understanding Linking Verbs
Is the word “link” a noun or a verb? Can its two different meanings be compared and contrasted? In this Lesson, we will examine linking verbs in greater depth to be able to understand the complement of a linking verb. The complement of a linking verb is called a subject complement, which is a word that makes a connection between the linking verb and the subject. The complement of a linking verb can also be an adjective complement if it describes the subject. A subject complement renames the subject. A subject complement further describes the subject. There are two types of subject complements that you need to understand: the predicate noun and the predicate adjective. Predicate noun as a Subject Complement—When a subject complement is considered a predicate noun, it follows the linking verb and renames or identifies the subject. Below are several sentences in which the subject complement is a predicate noun. Example: Mary Jones is the classroom teacher. Mary Jones is the subject. The linking verb is the word is. The word teacher renames Mary Jones Example: Aaron was the captain of the football team. Aaron is the subject. The linking verb is the word was. The word captain renames Aaron Example: He became the principal after two years. He is the subject. The linking verb is the word became. The linking verb connects the subject to principal, which is the predicate noun. Predicate Adjective as the Subject Complement—When a subject complement is considered a predicate adjective, you will find an adjective after the linking verb. Remember that an adjective is a word that describes a noun. See the examples below: Example: Harry was excited about swimming in the pool. The subject is Harry. The verb is the word was. The word excited is a predicate adjective describing Harry.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 92—2
Example: The animals were playful at the zoo. The subject is animals. The verb is the word were. The word playful is a predicate adjective describing animals. Example: He was fair in his answer to all of the crowd’s questions. The subject is he. The verb is the word was. The word fair is a predicate adjective describing how “he was.” Lesson Wrap Up: Complete the Linking Verbs Practice Sheet following the directions given.
Linking Verbs Practice Directions: Underline the subject complement in each sentence and label it as (PN) predicate noun or (PA) predicate adjective.
Our school’s marching band seemed thrilled to be in the parade.
The jovial band director is Ms. O’Connor.
His family appeared surprised when he cooked dinner for them.
The scrapbook was beautiful when it was done.
The county fair was crowded with senior citizens.
The boy appeared upset when his dog ran away.
The preschooler seemed nervous the first time he attended school.
The tornado was horrible and caused devastation to many.
Amanda is president of her school’s student council.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 92—3
Paul is the author of three books.
Windows are wonderful when they look out on beautiful views.
The teachers seem worried about the new principal.
The crowd was overwhelmed at the come from behind victory.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 93—1
Lesson 93
Grammar—Part III: Principal Parts of a Verb
Objective: The student will be able to understand and correctly use the four principal parts of a verb: Past, Past Participle, Present, Present Participle. Key Vocabulary: Participle, Verb Tense Engage: Engaging Question: How are verb tenses created? Why are they so important in writing? How can the same sentence mean something different with different verb tenses? Example: She had a dog. She has a dog. [Answer: Verb tenses are created by adding a suffix and/or with the inclusion of the appropriate tense of a being verb. They are important for expressing can action’s occurrence in time. As a verb’s tense changes, it reflects, gain, loss, or comparable changes in state.] Additional Notes to the Teacher: To begin the Lesson, have the student respond to the Engaging Question in his journal. The student will be learning about parts of a verb. He will learn about the four different principal parts of a verb. The student will then practice what he has learned with an activity of sentences. Five Supplemental Sentences Presented in Lesson Answer Key: first example, past; second example, past participle; third example, present participle; fourth example, past; fifth example, present. Principle Verb Parts Practice Sheet Answer Key: She scraped her leg on the playground equipment. Past We walk to school every day. Present Anna is talking on the phone to her sister in California. Present participle My best friend moved to another state last year. Past Our local museum has showcased several ancient artifacts from Egyptian times. Past participle Sam is singing loudly at his school concert. Present participle She has danced and taken ballet classes since she was three years old. Past participle The toddlers are playing well together on the playground. Present participle I swim in my pool every day during the summer. Present Marie teaches her students how to read and write. Present Our pet dog is sitting on the back porch waiting to come inside the house. Present participle When creating a scrapbook, I cut out pictures and paste them into the book. Present Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the Principal Verb Parts Practice activity following the directions given.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 93—1
Lesson 93
Grammar—Part III: Principal Parts of a Verb
How are verb tenses created? Why are they so important in writing? How can the same sentence mean something different with different verb tenses? Example: She had a dog. She has a dog. In Lesson 93, we will learn that there are four different principal parts of a verb. These principal parts are: The present tense—When a verb is in the present tense, the action takes place in the present moment (now), or is an action that happens frequently or is ongoing. Examples of verbs in the present tense include: walk, swim, fly Example: We walk to the store. Example: Sammy swims in his pool everyday. The present participle—The present participle includes a linking verb in the present tense, plus the present tense of the verb with an ing ending. Examples of verbs in the present participle include: are walking, is working, is marching. Example: She is working on her homework. Example: The children are bouncing in the moonwalk. The past tense—When a verb is in the past tense, the action took place in the past. The past tense is often formed by adding an ed to the end of a verb. Past tense verbs formed in this way are considered regular verbs. Examples of regular past tense verbs include: stopped, moved, prepared. Example: He moved into his new apartment. Example: The chef prepared a meal for the guests. The past participle—The past participle is formed by placing a past tense linking verb before the regular past tense verb. Verbs in this form are also considered regular verbs. Examples of words in the past participle include: have talked, has worked, has walked. Example: She has worked every summer during college. Example: Amy and I have traveled around the world. Generally speaking, participles are used when you wish to emphasize the subject over the action. In the sentence “Jim jumps on the trampoline,” the action of jumping could be more important than the person doing it. In the sentence “Jim is jumping on the trampoline,” Jim is clearly the most important element.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 93—2
Participles also add immediacy to an action. When we say “Molly swims in the pool,” we may mean that she is swimming now, or that she enjoys swimming generally. If “Molly is swimming in the pool,” we know that it’s happening as we say it. Examine the following sentences and determine the tense of the underlined verb. Example: The girls stopped at the candy store on their way home from school. Example: She has created a photo album for her parents’ anniversary. Example: Sue is talking to her mother on the telephone. Example: He worked on his new patio all evening. Example: She rides her bike to school. Lesson Wrap-Up: Now, complete the Principal Verb Parts Practice activity following the directions given.
Principal Verb Parts Practice Directions: On the line, tell the verb tense of the underlined verb in each sentence. Use either present, past, present participle, or past participle.
She scraped her leg on the playground equipment.
We walk to school every day.
Anna is talking on the phone to her sister in California.
My best friend moved to another state last year.
Our local museum has showcased several ancient artifacts from Egyptian times.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 93—3
Sam is singing loudly at his school concert.
She has danced and taken ballet classes since she was three years old.
The toddlers are playing well together on the playground.
I swim in my pool every day during the summer.
Marie teaches her students how to read and write.
Our pet dog is sitting on the back porch waiting to come inside the house.
When creating a scrapbook, I cut out pictures and paste them into the book.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 94—1
Lesson 94
Grammar—Part III: Understanding Irregular Verbs
Objective: The student will memorize several irregular verbs and be able to conjugate them correctly. Key Vocabulary: Irregular verb Engage: Engaging Question: If you’re looking through a discount rack at a clothing store and a pair of jeans is labeled “irregular”, what does it suggest about the jeans? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about irregular verbs. They will examine the five types of irregular verbs and complete exercises to help them practice their usage. Example Sentences preceding Activity Sheet Answer Key: Example: The football coach ____________ his whistle at the team. (blow) [blew] Example: Molly _____________ from a very large family. (come) [came] Example: The teacher had _______________ about giving the students a pop quiz today. (think) [been thinking] Example: Bob _____________ his own business. (run) [runs] Example: I _________________ lots of water as I ran for exercise. (drink) [drank] Example: She _______________ to her students about misbehaving when a substitute was in the classroom. (speak) [spoke] Irregular Verbs Practice Activity Answer Key: It (become, became) apparent that it would rain all day. Became The police (say, said) that they would dispatch a car to the accident. Said The child who caught the fly ball was very (exciting, excited). Excited The curator of the museum found an easel on which the picture could (stand, stood). Stand Anne (pay, paid) the boy to shovel her snow from her driveway. Paid Susan (throw, threw) out the clothes she no longer wore. Threw
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 94—2
He (spend, spent) all night writing his term paper. Spent Mary’s dog was eager to see her (come, came) home after a long day at work. Come The wind (blow, blew) furiously during last night’s storm. Blew He (fight, fought) for his beliefs during the debate. Fought Lightning (strike, struck) the top of the house, causing a fire. Struck My aunt (give, gave) me $100 when I graduated high school. Gave I have to (come, came) home each night by my curfew, or I risk getting grounded. Come A fight (break, broke) out at school this morning between two old friends. Broke She will (find, found) her missing jewelry if she keeps looking hard enough. Find My dog (run, ran) away last year. Ran We (build, built) a new roof over our dog Fluffy’s outdoor house. Built Lesson Wrap-Up: Have student complete the Irregular Verbs Practice activity following the directions given.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 94—1
Lesson 94
Grammar—Part III: Understanding Irregular Verbs
If you’re looking through a discount rack at a clothing store and a pair of jeans is labeled “irregular”, what does it suggest about the jeans? In this Lesson we will examine a different type of verb called an irregular verb, which is a verb that does not form the past or the past participle by adding ed to the end of the word. There are several different types of irregular verbs based on how they are formed. We will examine each type in this Lesson. Type 1: Irregular verbs whose present, past, and past participle form are all the same. Nothing is done to change the form of any verb that falls into this type. Some examples include: Present: cut, hurt Past: cut, hurt Past Participle: has cut, has hurt Type 2: Irregular verbs whose past and past participle forms are the same, but different from the present form of the verb. Unfortunately, there is no specific rule as to how to create the past and past participle forms. Some examples include: Present: bring, sit, think Past: brought, sat, thought Past Participle: has brought, has thought, have thought Type 3: Irregular verbs whose past participle form is created by adding n or en to the past form of the verb. There is no specific rule stating how to create the past form of each present verb. Some examples include: Present: speak, choose Past: spoke, chose Past Participle: has spoken, have chosen Type 4: Irregular verbs whose past participle is formed by adding an n or en to the present form of the verb. Some examples include: Present: know, grow, give Past: knew, grew, gave Past Participle: have known, has grown, have given
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 94—2
Type 5: Irregular verbs where the last i vowel in the present form of the verb changes to an a in the past form, and changes to an u in the past participle form. Some examples include: Present: sing, swim Past: sang, swam Past Participle: sung, swum Examine the following Example sentences to see the correct form of the word. blow: Example: The football coach _ (blew) _ his whistle at the team. come: Example: Molly _(came)__ from a very large family. think: Example: The teacher had __(thought)__ about giving the students a pop quiz today. run: Example: Bob __(ran) ___ his own business. drink: Example: I __ (drank) ____ lots of water as I ran for exercise. speak:: Example: She __ (spoke) ____ to her students about misbehaving when a substitute was in the classroom. Lesson Wrap-Up: Complete the Irregular Verbs Practice activity following the directions given.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 94—3
Irregular Verbs Practice Directions: Complete each sentence by circling the correct form of the verb. It (become, became) apparent that it would rain all day. The police (say, said) that they would dispatch a car to the accident. The child who caught the fly ball was very (exciting, excited). The curator of the museum found an easel on which the picture could (stand, stood). Anne (pay, paid) the boy to shovel her snow from her driveway. Susan (throw, threw) out the clothes she no longer wore. He (spend, spent) all night writing his term paper. Mary’s dog was eager to see her (come, came) home after a long day at work. The wind (blow, blew) furiously during last night’s storm. He (fight, fought) for his beliefs during the debate. Lightning (strike, struck) the top of the house, causing a fire. My aunt (give, gave) me $100 when I graduated high school. I have to (come, came) home each night by my curfew, or I risk getting grounded. A fight (break, broke) out at school this morning between two old friends. She will (find, found) her missing jewelry if she keeps looking hard enough. My dog (run, ran) away last year. We (build, built) a new roof over our dog Fluffy’s outdoor house.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 95—1
Lesson 95
Grammar Part III: Past, Present and Future Tenses
Objective: The student will be able to understand and use the three simple verb tenses. Key Vocabulary: Tense (general), Past Tense, Future Tense Engage: Engaging Question: You’re in the second day of a three day ski trip with your friend’s family. Your cell phone rings just as you‘re ready to get on the lift. It’s your mother. She asks you three questions: “What did you do yesterday? What are you doing today? What are you doing tomorrow?” With “skiing” as your answer, reply to each question in a full sentence starting with, “Yesterday, I . . .” “Today, I . . . ”, and “Tomorrow, I. . . ” How and why is each answer different? [Yesterday I skied, Today I am skiing, Tomorrow I will ski] Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson the student will begin a three-part Lesson on tenses. The simple tenses that will be introduced are the present, past, and future. She will be given examples and have an opportunity to complete exercises for practice. Tenses Practice Activity Answer Key: 1. Dr. Greene drives to the hospital every day. Present 2. Mrs. Jones loves to go ice skating. Present 3. The clown is doing magic tricks in the mall. Present 4. My teacher took us to the zoo. Past 5. My father will take us hiking this Saturday. Future 6. Sam wanted to play PlayStation. Past 7. The postman walks every day, except Sunday. Present 8. The baker baked great cakes. Past 9. The waitress served us Coke. Past 10. Doctors will work both day and night. Future 11. We will be going to Spain for our holidays. Future 12. My aunt and uncle moved to Texas. Past 13. You are going to Russia. Present 14. Sally moved her clothes out of the house. Past 15. We drove to see our grandmother. Past Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the Tenses Practice Sheet to practice determining what tense is used in a sentence.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 95—1
Lesson 95
Grammar Part III: Past, Present and Future Tenses
You’re in the second day of a three day ski trip with your friend’s family. Your cell phone rings just as you‘re ready to get on the lift. It’s your mother. She asks you three questions: “What did you do yesterday? What are you doing today? What are you doing tomorrow?” With “skiing” as your answer, reply to each question in a full sentence starting with, “Yesterday, I...” “Today, I... ”, and “Tomorrow, I... ” How and why is each answer different? In this Lesson, we will begin a three-part Lesson on tenses. A tense is a verb that shows the time an action or condition occurred. The simple tenses that we will study are the present, past, and future. The Present Tense—A verb in the present tense indicates that the action is being completed at the current time. When forming a singular or plural verb in the present tense, simply use the present participle part of the verb. Examples of verbs in the present tense can be seen below: Example: We skate at the park. Example: Amy walks her dog. Example: Amanda is talking on the telephone. The Past Tense—When a verb is in the past tense, this means that the action has already been completed. There are many ways to form the past tense of verbs. Often a d or ed is added to the present tense of the verb. Examples of verbs in the past tense can be seen below: Example: Paul bobbed for apples at the Halloween party. Example: They traveled all across the country. Example: She spoke to me last night. The Future Tense—When a verb is in the future tense, the action or condition the verb describes will be occurring in the future. The action has not yet occurred. When forming the future tense of a singular or plural verb, simply add the word will before the verb in the present form. Examples of verbs in the future tense can be seen below: Example: I will swim in the pool tonight. Example: She will talk to her mother about the party. Example: They will dance with each other at the school ball. Lesson Wrap Up: Complete the Tenses Practice Sheet to practice determining what tense is used in a sentence. Follow the directions given.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 95—2
Tenses Practice Sheet Directions: Underline the verb in each sentence. On the line provided, state whether the verb is in the present, past, or future tense.
1. Dr. Greene drives to the hospital every day.
2. Mrs. Jones loves to go ice skating.
3. The clown is doing magic tricks in the mall.
4. My teacher took us to the zoo.
5. My father will take us hiking this Saturday.
6. Sam wanted to play PlayStation.
7. The postman walks every day, except Sunday.
STUDENT MANUAL
8. The baker baked great cakes.
9. The waitress served us Coke.
10. Doctors will work both day and night.
11. We will be going to Spain for our holidays.
12. My aunt and uncle moved to Texas.
13. You are going to Russia.
14. Sally moved her clothes out of the house.
15. We drove to see our grandmother.
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 95—3
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 96—1
Lesson 96
Grammar—Part III: Perfect Tense
Objective: The student will be able to understand and use the perfect tense correctly, and distinguish between past, present, and future perfect tenses. Key Vocabulary: Present Perfect Tense, Past Perfect Tense, Future Perfect Tense Engage: Engaging Question: Usually when we say “perfect,” we mean something is exactly right—but perfect is also used to describe something that made something else complete. In this Lesson you’ll be introduced to the past perfect, present perfect and future perfect. Why do you think these tenses have versions that are called “perfect”? [perfect tense helps to complete an action, to describe it more accurately than one of the simple tenses, to help make the verb mean exactly what it should by indicating exactly when it occurs] Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will continue to study tenses by adding the perfect tenses to the list. This Lesson will explain the present perfect, the past perfect, and the future perfect tense. The student will be given examples and opportunities to practice what he has learned. Tenses Practice Activity Answer Key: 1. I have prepared a meal to eat tonight. Present perfect 2. The flower vase has broken. Present perfect 3. I have worked all day. Present perfect 4. I have lost my calculator. Present perfect 5. Sam has loved to play basketball. Present perfect 6. They have played music too loudly all week. Past perfect 7. We will have talked for hours on the phone. Future perfect 8. Fred’s cat will have scratched my arm. Future perfect 9. You have gained weight over the last year. Past perfect 10. I have liked going to the movies. Past perfect 11. They have waited for us to leave. Past perfect 12. My sister has spent three days at the lake. Past perfect 13. Amy will have taken four dance classes. Future perfect 14. Boats will have docked in the harbor for the night. Future perfect 15. Astronauts have explored the moon for many years. Past perfect Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the Tenses Activity.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 96—1
Lesson 96
Grammar—Part III: Perfect Tense
Usually when we say “perfect,” we mean something is exactly right—but perfect is also used to describe something that made something else complete. In this Lesson, you’ll be introduced to the past perfect, present perfect and future perfect. Why do you think these tenses have versions that are called “perfect”? In this Lesson, we will continue our study in tenses by adding the perfect tenses to our list. We will talk about the present perfect, the past perfect, and the future perfect tense. The Present Perfect Tense—This tense of a verb describes an action beginning in the past and continuing into the present. When forming the present perfect tense, you should add the word has or have to the past participle of the verb. Examples of verbs in the present perfect tense can be seen below: Example: I have danced at the recital for 10 years. Example: The students have learned how to understand verb tenses. The Past Perfect Tense—This tense of the verb describes a past action being completed before another past action. To create the past perfect tense, simply add have or has to the past participle part of the original verb. Examples can be seen below: Example: Amanda had worked on her homework before she watched her favorite television show. Example: I have driven to school when I have missed the bus. The Future Perfect Tense—This tense of the verb describes a future action that takes place before another future action. To form the future perfect tense, you should add the word have or had before the past participle of the verb. Some examples of verbs in the future perfect tense are given below: Example: She will have taken 30 college credit hours by the end of her first year. Example: I will have worked for several hours on the photo album for my parents. Lesson Wrap Up: Complete the Tenses Practice activity following the directions given.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 96—2
Tenses Practice Directions: Underline the verb in each sentence. Then, write the correct tense of the verb on the line provided.
I have prepared a meal to eat tonight.
The flower vase has broken.
I have worked all day.
I have lost my calculator.
Sam has loved to play basketball.
They have played music too loudly all week.
We will have talked for hours on the phone.
STUDENT MANUAL
Fred’s cat will have scratched my arm.
You have gained weight over the last year.
I have liked going to the movies.
They have waited for us to leave.
My sister has spent three days at the lake.
Amy will have taken four dance classes.
Boats will have docked in the harbor for the night.
Astronauts have explored the moon for many years.
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 96—3
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 97—1
Lesson 97
Grammar—Part III: Verb Tenses Practice
Objective: The student will be able to use the different tenses of a verb to express time of an action. Engage: Engaging Question: You’re writing a letter to the Editor of your local newspaper because your city’s bike path needs repair. How many tenses would you use if, in the same paragraph, you wrote about last year’s bike accident and explained why it was preventable, the bike path’s current condition, and the problems and accidents that will occur if improvements aren’t made right away? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will be practicing usage of the different tenses of verbs that he has learned. Remember, the following tenses have been discussed: present, present perfect, past, past perfect, future, and future perfect. There is not a practice sheet to assess student understanding of this Lesson. Rather, the student will be asked to compose three paragraphs. One will use only present and present perfect tenses, one will use only past and perfect tenses, and the third will use only future and future perfect tenses. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write a five-sentence paragraph telling what he thinks he will be doing in 10 years. Remind the student to use only the future and future perfect tenses in this paragraph.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 97—1
Lesson 97
Grammar—Part III: Verb Tenses Practice
You’re writing a letter to the Editor of your local newspaper because your city’s bike path needs repair. How many tenses would you use if, in the same paragraph, you wrote about last year’s bike accident and explained why it was preventable, the bike path’s current condition, and the problems and accidents that will occur if improvements aren’t made right away? In this Lesson, we will practice using the different tenses of verbs that we have learned. Remember that we have discussed the following tenses: present, present perfect, past, past perfect, future, and future perfect. Using the Present Tense—Recall that the present tense of a verb tells that the action is currently being completed. The present perfect tense of a verb shows that there is a period of time leading up to the action being completed. Some examples of sentences using verbs in the present tense are: Example: Paul sings in his church choir. Example: Jessica is working on her homework. Example: Airlines have offered great deals to potential passengers this year. Write a five-sentence paragraph explaining in detail your actions when you rise out of bed in the morning. Try to only use the present or present perfect tense in this paragraph. Read the paragraph aloud when completed. Using the Past Tense—We learned that the past tense is used to show actions that have already occurred in the past, and that the past perfect tense shows actions that have occurred in the past before other actions in the past. Discuss the use of the past tense in the following sentences: Example: We had walked to the store to buy ice cream. Example: Anna had lived in the city before she moved to the suburbs. Example: I had served the meal before I served the dessert. Write another five-sentence paragraph telling what you did during the summer using only verbs in the past and past perfect tenses. Using the Future Tense—The future tense tells an action that will be occurring in the future, and the future perfect tense tells about an action that will take place in the future before other future actions. Some examples of sentences using the future tense can be seen below:
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 97—2
Example: We will need a ride home from football practice. Example: VCRs will become a technology of the past after DVD players become the technology of choice. Example: She will be fixing dinner for her husband when he returns home from work. Lesson Wrap-Up: Write a five-sentence paragraph telling what you think you will be doing in 10 years. Remember to use only the future and future perfect tenses in this paragraph.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 98—1
Lesson 98
Grammar—Part III: Common Problematic Verbs
Objective: The student will be able to correctly use some of the common verbs that cause problems in writing. Engage: Engaging Question: Are there any verbs that you have difficulty using when speaking? Are there any verbs that you have difficultly using when writing? [There is no set answer to this question, but some examples might aid discussion, eg, “flied” instead of “flew, “shined” instead of “shone,” etc.] Additional Notes to the Teacher: The Lesson focuses on the verbs with special rules or qualities. The student will be presented with these verbs and examples that explain these particular cases. Verbs Review Activity Answer Key: Three pelicans flew over the beach. Action, past The children have built a sandcastle. Helping, action, past Ben played chess with Al. Action, past Everyone in the stadium watched the game. Action, past The microwave has beeped several times. Helping, action, present Malcom is a very thoughtful person. Linking, present The seagull’s feathers were painted white. Helping, action, past The moon shines down on the water. Action, present The bicycle’s back tire has needed air since it was purchased a week ago. Linking, past Bart, Mike, and Jim went bowling everyday this week. Action, past Orange is my favorite color. Linking, present The giant oak tree will grow to be over a hundred years old. Helping, action, future The police officer will arrest the suspect on robbery charges. Helping, action, future The boat captain sailed the boat in the race every year. Action, past The rusty old car will have been parked in my backyard all summer. Helping, action, future The garden in our backyard grew well this year. Action, past The lady with the green dress danced all night long. Action, past The bird in the tree was singing a cheerful song. Helping, action, past The floor of the attic made a creaking sound. Action, past The books he found at the garage sale were old and dusty. Action, Past; Linking, past She will be spending the rest of the night in her room if she doesn’t eat her dinner. Helping, action, future; Helping, action, present The Pizza Parlour is the best restaurant in town. Linking, present Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the Verbs Review to practice for the upcoming Assessment.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 98—1
Lesson 98
Grammar—Part III: Common Problematic Verbs
Are there any verbs that you have difficulty using when speaking? Are there any verbs that you have difficultly using when writing? As we wrap up our Unit on verbs, it is important to consider that there are a few special cases when two verbs may seem to have similar meanings, but they actually do not. We will look at these special cases in today’s Lesson. Case #1: Lie vs. Lay The word lie means to recline The word lay means to put something down Example: She lies on the floor with her baby. Example: He will lay his test on the table. Case #2: Rise vs. Raise To rise means to get up or move upward. To raise means to lift up. Example: We rise for the day when the sun comes up. Example: They raise the American flag for July 4th. Case #3: Sit vs. Set To sit means to be seated. To set means to put something down. Example: I will sit on the front porch. Example: He sets the dinner table every evening. Case #4: Learn vs. Teach To learn means to gain knowledge or skill. To teach means to help someone learn. Example: She learned how to play piano. Example: Sam teaches piano Lessons. Lesson Wrap Up: Complete the Verbs Review to practice for the upcoming test. Follow the directions given.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 98—2
Verbs Review Directions: Underline the verb in each sentence. On the line, state whether the verb is an action verb, linking verb, or helping verb. Then state the verb tense. When there is a helping verb, there will be two kinds of verbs listed.
Three pelicans flew over the beach.
The children have built a sandcastle.
Ben played chess with Al.
Everyone in the stadium watched the game.
The microwave has beeped several times.
Malcom is a very thoughtful person.
The seagull’s feathers were painted white.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 98—3
The moon shines down on the water.
The bicycle’s back tire has needed air since it was purchased a week ago.
Bart, Mike, and Jim went bowling everyday this week.
Orange is my favorite color.
The giant oak tree will grow to be over a hundred years old.
The police officer will arrest the suspect on robbery charges.
The boat captain sailed the boat in the race every year.
The rusty old car will have been parked in my backyard all summer.
The garden in our backyard grew well this year.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 98—4
The lady with the green dress danced all night long.
The bird in the tree was singing a cheerful song.
The floor of the attic made a creaking sound.
The books he found at the garage sale were old and dusty.
She will be spending the rest of the night in her room if she doesn’t eat her dinner.
The Pizza Parlor is the best restaurant in town.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 99—1
Lesson 99
Grammar—Part III: Verbs Assessment
Objective: The student will be able to display understanding of verbs as taught during Lessons 91 through 99 Materials Needed: Copies of the Verbs Assessment Engage: Engaging Question: If you were watching a movie you’ve seen a couple times, and halfway through it, someone started watching it with you, what types of verbs and verb tenses would you use when telling him each of the following things about the movie? What’s happening at that moment [action, present] The two leading characters [linking, present] Why the lead characters got into the current situation [action, helping, past] How they could have avoided the situation [action, past perfect] How it ends [action, future, future perfect] Additional Notes to the Teacher: After answering the Engaging Questions student will take the assessment on verbs. This will demonstrate their understanding of the unit on verbs. Verbs Assessment Answer Key: My mother drove to the store.—Action, past The children have slid down the slide.—Helping, action, present participle Samantha beat her friend Sally in 4-Square.—Action, past Everyone was excited about the team winning the game.—Linking, past participle The farmer went out to milk his cows early this morning.—Action, past Mary is the smartest kid in class.—Linking, present The walls of the baby’s room were painted yellow.—Helping action, past participle The rain poured all day and caused the basement to flood.—Action, past; Action, past The car tires needed more air after he drove over a nail.—Action, past Bart, Mike, and Jim went swimming every day.—Helping, action, past participle Reading is my favorite hobby.—Linking, present
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 99—2
His grandmother turned 100 years old today.—Action, past The police officer will chase the speeding car.—Helping, action, future perfect Amanda sailed her boat each summer.—Action, past The rusty old car will be towed if its owner does not move it from the street.—Helping, action, future The garden in our backyard flourished with many vegetables.—Action, past The teacher taught a new Lesson every day.—Action, past Our choir sang beautiful carols around the neighborhood.—Action, past The spectators in the hockey rink were very cold.—Linking, past Teachers sold old textbooks to raise money for charity.—Action, past Lesson Wrap-Up: Talk with the student to evaluate their confidence in conjugating and using verbs. Ask which verb tenses are most clear, and least, and ask how they feel after the assessment.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 99—1
Lesson 99
Grammar—Part III: Verbs Assessment
If you were watching a movie you’ve seen a couple times, and halfway through it, someone started watching it with you, what types of verbs and verb tenses would you use when telling him each of the following things about the movie? What’s happening at that moment The two leading characters Why the lead characters got into the current situation How they could have avoided the situation How it ends In previous Lessons, you’ve studied helping, linking, and action verbs, and you’ve learned about tenses like past, present, and future, as well as the perfect versions of each. You’ve also studied several irregular verbs. The following assessment will evaluate how well you know your verbs, both those tenses you know well, and those which deserve further study. Complete the Verbs Assessment following the directions given. Lesson Wrap-Up: How do you feel after the assessment? Are you confident in your ability to properly conjugate and use verbs? Which verb tenses are least clear to you?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 99—2
Verbs Assessment Directions: Underline the verb in each sentence. On the line, state whether the verb is an action verb, linking verb, or helping verb. Then, state the tense of the verb. If there is a helping verb, there will always be another type of verb as well. My mother drove to the store.
The children have slid down the slide.
Samantha beat her friend Sally in 4-Square.
Everyone was excited about the team winning the game.
The farmer went out to milk his cows early this morning.
Mary is the smartest kid in class.
The walls of the baby’s room were painted yellow.
The rain poured all day and caused the basement to flood.
The car tires needed more air after he drove over a nail.
Bart, Mike, and Jim went swimming every day.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 99—3
Reading is my favorite hobby.
His grandmother turned 100 years old today.
The police officer will chase the speeding car.
Amanda sailed her boat each summer.
The rusty old car will be towed if its owner does not move it from the street.
The garden in our backyard flourished with many vegetables.
The teacher taught a new Lesson every day.
Our choir sang beautiful carols around the neighborhood.
The spectators in the hockey rink were very cold.
Teachers sold old textbooks to raise money for charity.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 100—1
Lesson 100
Reading Informational Texts: Newspapers
Objective: The student will become familiar with key newspaper components, practice reading articles for information and determine the author’s point of view or purpose for writing the article. Key Vocabulary: Genre, Headline, Byline, Article, Caption Materials Needed: Writing Journal, Copy of the Daily Newspaper Engage: Engaging Question: What do you like to read? Is there a particular genre that is your favorite? Why do you think you like this type of literature the most? [You may need to explain the concept of genre, but otherwise this is a simple exploration of the student’s reading tastes] Additional Notes to the Teacher: Lesson 100 is very much a guided exercise. There is no homework assignment, and the in-class work consists largely of reading and analyzing newspaper articles. Ask the student to brainstorm a list of times when she has read, or would read, for informational purposes. Have the student put this list into the writing journal. When she has developed a list, create one master list, if possible, discussing each instance as it is named by the student. In this Lesson, the student will focus on the newspaper as an informational text. Ask the student if she reads the newspaper or knows someone who reads the newspaper and discuss how often it is done. Ask the student if she can brainstorm a list of sections of the newspaper that are common. Some answers might include sports, local news, travel, arts and leisure, world news, and the classified ads. Discuss with the student the components of a newspaper article, including: The date the event being reported on occurred A headline which grabs the attention of the reader A byline including the name of the reporter who wrote the article The article itself Quotations that give personal, up-close information from eyewitnesses and people involved in the event being reported on A caption explaining an illustration or photograph included with the article This example will work better if you have an article on hand which includes all of these components so that you can show examples of the parts as you discuss them.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 100—2
Pass out a copy of a daily newspaper to the student. Choose an article of the newspaper to read aloud. Then address each of the characteristics of the newspaper article as it appears in the article. Explain to the student that these characteristics give the information that the reader needs to know and understand from these informational texts. Tell the student that these characteristics can also help her to determine the author’s point of view or purpose for writing the newspaper article. Ask the student to answer in writing the Questions for Reading Informational Text in the student manual on the newspaper article she reads. Then, discuss the student’s responses. Give the student time to find another article from the newspaper. Ask the student to answer the Questions for Reading Informational Text first before reading the article, then have the student read the article to see if his answers are correct. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student these questions: What can you learn about the article from the captions? Emphasize the importance of different sources of information, like newspapers, internet encyclopedias (wikis) and television news programs.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 100—1
Lesson 100
Reading Informational Texts: Newspapers
What do you like to read? Is there a particular genre that is your favorite? Why do you think you like this type of literature the most? In life, you will often have to read to gather information, rather than for pleasure. Brainstorm a list of times when you read for informational purposes rather than for fun. Put this list into the writing journal. When you have developed a list, share and discuss your answers with your teacher. We will be practicing the skill of reading for informational purposes in Lessons 100, 101 and 102 as we prepare to learn to write a research paper. In this Lesson, we will focus on the newspaper as an informational text. Newspaper articles are sources of current information, giving facts and opinions about real people, places, and events that are occurring in areas around the world. Do you read the newspaper or know someone who reads the newspaper? How often do you or they do so? Newspapers often consist of several sections, each with a focus and a purpose for the authors who write the articles. Can you brainstorm a list of newspaper sections that are commonly found in newspapers? One technique we use to read a newspaper is called skimming. When we skim a paper, we read it very, very quickly paying attention to things like the headline, the byline, and the first few sentences. This gives us an idea of what the article is about, and lets we, the readers, know if we want to continue reading. Skimming gives us a preview of the article. Each newspaper article is composed of several pieces of information. Listed below are the components of a newspaper article, although not every component is a part of every newspaper article—for example, many small articles will not have quotations or illustrations. The components of a newspaper article are: The date the event being reported on occurred A headline which grabs the attention of the reader A byline including the name of the reporter who wrote the article The informational content Quotations that give personal, up-close information from eyewitnesses and people involved in the event being reported on A caption explaining an illustration or photograph included with the article
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 100—2
Examine a copy of a daily newspaper and read one article of the newspaper aloud. Try to find each of the newspaper components mentioned above as it appears in the article. Answer in writing the following questions on the newspaper article you read. Be ready to discuss your responses. Choose another article from the newspaper. Skim the article, and try to answer the Questions for Reading Informational Text. Then read the article to check to see if your responses are correct. Questions for Reading Informational Text On what day was this newspaper article published? What is the article’s headline? Who wrote the article? What do you think the article is about? What was the author’s point of view in the article? Or Why did the author write this article? How many quotations are included in the article? What can you learn about the article from the captions? Lesson Wrap-Up: What can you learn about the article from the captions? What about reading the whole article? Can you compare reading a newspaper to watching a television news program? What other sources of information are available to you?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 101—1
Lesson 101
Reading Informational Texts: Books
Objective: The student will be able to analyze and explain how authors use informational text to enhance the meaning of central, key or supporting ideas. The student will also determine the author’s purpose for writing the text. Key Vocabulary: Encyclopedia, Periodical, Reference Publication Materials Needed: Writing Journal Literary Selections: You will need reference publications pertaining to the Rainforest for this exercise—see the Advanced Preparation section below. Engage: Engaging Question: What do you use an encyclopedia for? How is an encyclopedia different from other available resources? How is it different from a dictionary or an internet search? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Now that the student has learned how to read an informational text, this Lesson will examine some different types of informational texts, particularly books or encyclopedias. The student will complete an activity in which he will examine several different books or Internet encyclopedia articles to uncover knowledge about rain forests. The student will also find the author’s purpose for writing the text and explain how this is shown in the text. Place each of the four or five articles, print outs or books around the classroom. Then have the student go to each station and read each article, or excerpt. Encourage the student to observe the different formats, writing styles and purpose for each piece of writing, then jot down his most profound observations in his journal. Lesson Wrap-Up: Emphasize the importance of reading for information. Remind the student that this is a skill she will need for high school, college, and beyond. Explain that learned skills build off one another—just as grammar helps the student to do research, so does research help with creating credible reports in turn. Read the Lesson Wrap-Up questions and discuss. Lesson Wrap-up Questions: What differences did you notice between reading newspaper articles in Lesson 100 and reading the articles or excerpts in Lesson 101? When might you prefer an encyclopedia article or book excerpt over a newspaper article? When might a newspaper article be more useful than something from a book?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 101—1
Lesson 101
Reading Informational Texts: Books
What do you use an encyclopedia for? How is an encyclopedia different from other available resources? How is it different from a dictionary or an internet search? Previously, you learned to read an informational text by examining newspaper articles. You will now be given time to share the newspaper article you completed. In this Lesson, we will examine different types of informational text, particularly books or encyclopedias. You will complete an activity in which you will examine several different books or Internet encyclopedia articles to uncover knowledge about rain forests. The room will be set up into four stations with a different article or excerpt (part of a book) at each station. Rotate through each station until you have read each article or excerpt. You should preview the articles and excerpts, examining the illustrations first before reading. After you have read the four articles or excerpts from each station, use your journal to discuss the different articles and what you have learned. Talk about the different animals and plants native to the rain forests. Tell why the author wrote the article or what the author’s point of view was in the article. Discuss what you liked or didn’t like about each excerpt and the illustrations. You should keep all answers and responses in your Writing Journal, which can be used as a tool to assess your knowledge and understanding of rain forests based on the activity in this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: What differences did you notice between reading newspaper articles in Lesson 100 and reading the articles or excerpts in Lesson 101? When might you prefer an encyclopedia article or book excerpt over a newspaper article? When might a newspaper article be more useful than something from a book?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 102—1
Lesson 102
Using Informational Texts
Objective: The student will be introduced to the SQ3R method of reading in preparation for an advanced research project. Materials Needed: Internet access, Writing Journal Engage: Engaging Question: If you could only use five steps to obtain detailed information on a specific subject what might those steps be? In what order would you do the steps? Is one step more important than the others? Why? Technology Integration: During this exercise, you will assign the student to go online and look for information about his home state, such as the current governor, the state bird, etc. This exercise will require internet access. If for any reason internet access is unavailable, you may conduct an alternative research assignment with whatever informational texts you have available, such as encyclopedias. Naturally, the printed information will not contain up-to-date information, and so should focus on more constant facts (e.g., if you decide to research the student’s home state, then look up when the state was founded, the state motto, etc, rather than any sitting political figures). Additional Notes to the Teacher: Before giving the SQ3R assignment, model an example of this method of garnering information from an informational text for the student. This example needs only to be brief, as the steps are somewhat self-explanatory. To practice using the SQ3R reading strategy, the student will use a computer with Internet access to research information about the state you live in. They will consider the state’s first governor, natural resources, professional sports teams, or major tourism attractions. The student will then choose one of these topics to research. In his writing journal, the student will work through the SQ3R process by writing down notes related to each component of this reading method, using the 5-step process as a research tool. Advanced Preparation: You will want examples of graphic organizers, flow charts, and written summaries to show the student. Lesson Wrap-Up: SQ3R is a simple reading strategy that gives structure to a student’s research. Reinforce the importance of having an organized approach to research, rather than just jumping into texts at random. Encourage the student to practice using the SQ3R method whenever performing a research project, and to change up the method of review, for instance, if a flowchart was used for exercises in Lesson 102, the student should then consider using a journal for a future project.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 102—1
Lesson 102
Using Informational Texts
If you could only use five steps to obtain detailed information on a specific subject what might they be? In what order would you do the steps? Is one step more important than the others? Why? As we have been learning how to read and use informational texts, we have learned of the importance of an informational text as a tool to gain new knowledge. In the upcoming Lessons, we will be learning how to use informational texts in the research process. In this Lesson, you will be introduced to the SQ3R method of uncovering information in an informational text, a reading strategy that you can apply to your research. The SQ3R reading strategy is a 5-step process involving the following components: Survey—The first step is to survey what you are about to read. What can you uncover about the title? What do you know about the subject? What do you want to know about the subject? What can you uncover from the first few sentences of the paragraphs? What do the pictures tell you? Asking these initial questions during the surveying stage will help you develop an overall idea about the text you are about to read and use. Question—The second step is to turn the title of the text into a question in order to focus your research and give you a purpose for reading. Every heading can also be turned into a question. Example: When reading a book entitled “The Revolutionary War,” ask yourself: When did the Revolutionary War take place? Example: When reading a book entitled “The Modern Assembly Line,” ask yourself: Who invented the modern assembly line? Read actively—The third step is to begin the actual reading of the text by reading the text thoroughly to find the answers to the questions you developed in the question stage, above. Recite what you have learned—The next step is to turn away from the text you are reading to try and remember what you have read. If you have trouble remembering during this step, you may need to reread the text to fill in the answers to your questions. Review—The final step is to go back and answer the major questions that describe your purpose for reading. You should use this time to organize the information you have uncovered using one of the following techniques:
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 102—2
Graphic Organizer A graphic organizer is a tool that allows you to link different ideas together. Once you’ve done your reading, write out the things you think are important like names, dates, and ideas. Draw circles around what you have written, and connect related ideas with lines, like the word balloons in a comic strip or comic book. When you’re finished, you’ll notice that you have something that looks like a spider web on your page—just follow the lines to see which concepts are related!
Flow Chart A flow chart looks like a graphic organizer at first, but it is much more orderly. Write your research topic at the top of your page, and underneath that write out the most important ideas side-by-side. Below those ideas, write out key words that explain what is important about those ideas—write these key words from top-to-bottom.
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STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 102—3
Written Summary In a written summary, you simply write out what you remember about your topic. Then, go back and correct any errors, and fill in anything you left out. Oral Discussion An oral discussion is the fastest way to review what you have learned, but offers no workable record of your research. An oral discussion with a classmate or teacher is good for helping you to form ideas about what you have read, but is best when used with another recording method, like a journal or a written summary. Journaling Journaling is like writing a written summary, but more structured. Often, you will write a journal entry in response to a prompt or question. If you do not have a written prompt or question, then a journal is useful for collecting your thoughts and feelings about your research. In this way, it combines the best parts of the written summary and the oral discussion, allowing you to come to your own conclusions while still providing you with a written record. To practice using the SQ3R reading strategy, use a computer with Internet access to research information about the state you live in. Think about your state’s first governor, natural resources, professional sports teams, or major tourism attractions. Choose one of these topics, or one that you think of yourself, to research. In your writing journal, work through the SQ3R process by writing down notes related to each component of this reading method so that you feel comfortable using the 5-step process as a research tool. Lesson Wrap-Up: The SQ3R reading strategy is an excellent tool you can use to get information from a text that is useful to you when studying for a test or writing papers. Practice using it until it comes naturally to you.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 103—1
Lesson 103
The Research Process: SQ3R
Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the SQ3R process and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to understand the research process. Materials Needed: Internet access, Writing Journal Engage: Engaging Question: What do you want to be when you grow up? What do you think this means for your future? What steps will you have to take to achieve this career? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will begin an on-going research project. The student will be using informational texts to research a career they are interested in pursuing when they graduate from high school and move on to college. As you work through the next several Lessons, the student will be using informational texts in several forms as your primary areas to uncover information and perform the research. To begin this process, the student will brainstorm a list of the top five careers they are possibly interested in pursuing after graduation, and write a brief summary explaining why she would pursue each particular career. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the “Choosing a Topic” handout in preparation for the next step in the research process. Explain to the student that she is to research the most interesting career from the list.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 103—1
Lesson 103
The Research Process: SQ3R
What do you want to be when you grow up? What do you think this mean for your future? What steps will you have to take to achieve this career? The research process is a necessary component of English Language Arts as you will need to research and report on information in all subject areas throughout the course of your school life. In history, for example, you may be required to research a former president, world topic, or other historical event and synthesize, evaluate, and report on this information. You will also be asked to write reports for science class and will be asked to express yourself well in math class, too. When you are an adult and working on the job, having solid English skills will enhance your job performance no matter in what field you choose to work. You will be using informational texts to research a career you are interested in pursuing when you graduate from high school and move on to college. As you work through the next several Lessons, you will be using informational texts in several forms as your primary areas to uncover information and perform the research. To begin this process, brainstorm a list of the top five careers you are interested in pursuing after graduation, and write a brief summary explaining why you would pursue each particular career. Next, you will need to choose one of the five brainstormed careers to focus your research by ranking the careers in order from 1–5, with 1 representing the career you are most interested in pursuing. Lesson Wrap-Up: You should complete the “Choosing a Topic” handout in preparation for the next step in the research process. Focus on the career you ranked first—the one you are most interested in.
STUDENT MANUAL
The Research Process
Choosing a Topic The career I chose to research is:
I chose this career because:
Things I know about this career are:
Things I will need to find out about this career are:
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 103—2
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 104—1
Lesson 104
The Research Process: SQ3R
Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the SQ3R process and knowledge of how to read informational texts and utilize different media in order to understand the research process. Materials Needed: Internet access, Writing Journal, Choosing a Topic activity from Lesson 103. Engage: Engaging Question: What informational texts will I use to research my future career? Additional Notes to the Teacher: If you have the ability to do so, use this Lesson to take a visit to the local library to demonstrate to the student how to use the wealth of resources a library has to offer. You may want to call the local library ahead of time to set up a meeting with a librarian or media specialist who can teach the student about all of the different types of text he can use throughout the research process. Most importantly, also focus on the types of online resources and Internet articles which can be used in research and those which should not be used. The student should be encouraged to utilize graphs, pictures or video clips from the web for his research. Make sure the student understands that only websites ending in “edu” or “gov”, are appropriate websites. If you are unable to go to a school or community library for any reason, you may replace the library reading section with internet selections, or whichever traditional research sources you have available (like encyclopedias). This is a good opportunity to explain to the student the differences between commercial websites and those available as a public service. Advanced Preparation: Make sure you have the “Choosing a Topic” activity from Lesson 103. Lesson Wrap-Up: Summarize the intent and purpose of this Lesson topic for the student: You have gathered several different types of informational texts to use in your research. Now, complete the “Developing your Research Topic” handout for three of the resources you chose to use as informational texts on your future career. Be sure to hold on to this handout, as you will find it useful for future Lessons in which you will begin a research paper. Have the student complete the “Developing your Research Topic” handout for three of his reference resources. Be sure the student keeps this handout for reference in future Lessons.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 104—1
Lesson 104
The Research Process: SQ3R
What informational texts will I use to research my future career? As you have now chosen your research topic (i.e. the career you are most interested in pursuing after high school), you will now begin to use the SQ3R reading strategy to research this topic. For this research paper, you will need to gather information from at least three different informational sources in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the career. You will need to use a variety of informational texts to complete this process, and you should choose from the following list: Book Magazine article Encyclopedia Website Online database service such as Infotrac Video clips, pictures or graphs that are found on the Web Lesson Wrap-Up: You have gathered several different types of informational texts to use in your research. Now, complete the “Developing your Research Topic” handout for three of the resources you chose to use as informational texts on your future career. Be sure to hold on to this handout, as you will find it useful for future Lessons in which you will begin a research paper.
STUDENT MANUAL
The Research Process
Developing Your Research Topic Source #1: Type of Source:
Author:
Title:
Year Published:
Title of Article you plan to use:
Page Numbers:
Exact Web Address (if applicable):
Use the SQ3R Process for Source #1: 1. Survey
2. Question
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 104—2
STUDENT MANUAL
3. Read
4. Recite
5. Review
Source #2: Type of Source:
Author:
Title:
Year Published:
Title of Article you plan to use:
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 104—3
STUDENT MANUAL
Page Numbers:
Exact Web Address (if applicable):
Use the SQ3R Process for source #2: 1. Survey
2. Question
3. Read
4. Recite
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 104—4
STUDENT MANUAL
5. Review
Source #3: Type of Source:
Author:
Title:
Year Published:
Title of Article you plan to use:
Page Numbers:
Exact Web Address (if applicable):
Use the SQ3R Process for Source #3: 1. Survey
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 104—5
STUDENT MANUAL
2. Question
3. Read
4. Recite
5. Review
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 104—6
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 105—1
Lesson 105
The Research Process: SQ3R
Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the SQ3R process and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to understand the research process. Key Vocabulary: Paraphrase, Transcribe / Transcription, Quotation, Summary / Summarize Materials Needed: Internet access, Writing Journal, Research Process activity from previous Lesson, 3x5 index cards Engage: Engaging Question: How do I conduct research? Do I look at the details or the big picture? Do I copy notes word for word and then rewrite them or do I take notes in my own words as I go? How do I document my sources so I can go back to the original text if I need to? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will structure their research to develop a primary research topic and search each individual source to learn to take notes on that source. She will come to understand that the notes she takes will eventually become the ideas she will present in the final research paper. Lessons 104–107 instruct the student in gathering notes for their research report. The assessment will be monitoring the student’s work on the index cards carefully throughout the note-taking process, changing any mistakes that are made prior to moving on to the next Lesson Homework Required: Refer to the “Developing your Research Topic” activity from Lesson 104. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the students what kind of careers might involve research, and if that would be a good career for the student. Why or why not?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 105—1
Lesson 105
The Research Process: SQ3R
How do you conduct research? Do you look at the details or the big picture? Do you copy notes word for word and then rewrite them or do you take notes in my own words as you go? How do you document your sources so you can go back to the original text if you need to? You have already begun your research as you completed the “Developing your Research Topic” handout during Lesson 94. Looking at that handout, you should have used the SQ3R reading strategy to preview three of the sources you chose to use as informational texts by gathering a list of questions and ideas that you have about your career. In this Lesson you will structure your research to develop a primary research topic and search each individual source to learn to take notes on that source. Although often a time consuming process, the notes you take will eventually become the ideas you present regarding your topic in the final research paper. You will use index cards for these notes as they will be easy to organize later on in this process. The first thing to do is to look at your SQ3R for the first source you are using. You should have developed a question that explains your major purpose for reading that source. Make sure to keep this question in your mind at all times as you take notes using the procedures below to answer this question. You will be reading carefully through this source to find important information. Not all information, however, is important or relevant to your research topic. Always ask yourself, “Does this answer or relate to my research question?” If the answer is no, then you should start reading something else, even if that’s only farther along in the text. You should only include one piece of information on each index card. As you find an important piece of information related to your topic, REWRITE this information on an index card in your own words. Do not copy the information word-for-word—paraphrase what is written or summarize the piece of information if it is lengthy (when you paraphrase something, you write it in your own words, often making the information shorter and simpler.) The only time you should copy word-for-word is if you find an important quotation you may want to use in your paper. In these cases, make sure to place quotation marks around the quote and note the author of the quotation at the bottom of the card. For each index card that comes from this informational text, place a #1 in a circle at the top left-hand corner of the card so that you remember where the information came from. Place the page number at the bottom of each index card noting where the information came from as well. Continue reading through this source until you feel you have a comprehensive list of information answering your research question. Lesson Wrap-Up: What kind of careers might involve research? Would that be a good career for you? Why or why not?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 106—1
Lesson 106
The Research Process: SQ3R
Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the SQ3R process and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to understand the research process. Materials Needed: Internet access, Writing Journal, “Developing your Research Topic” activity from previous Lesson Engage: Engaging Question: Why is note-taking an important component of the research process? What is the hardest part about taking notes? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will continue doing his research and taking notes on this research for his report. Assess the student’s work by monitoring the note-taking process carefully. Be sure that he is properly citing sources and utilizing the note cards in the best way possible. Encourage the student to change any mistakes that he has made prior to moving on to Lesson 107. Advanced Preparation: Refer to the “Developing your Research Topic” activity from Lesson 104. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss the occasionally repetitive nature of research with the student—why is there so much re-statement and re-writing? What good does this do?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 106—1
Lesson 106
The Research Process: SQ3R
Why is note-taking an important component of the research process? What is the hardest part about taking notes? You have already begun your research as you completed the “Developing your Research Topic” handout during Lesson 104. Looking at that handout, you should have used the SQ3R reading strategy to preview three of the sources you chose to use as informational texts by gathering a list of questions and ideas that you have about your career. In Lesson 106 you will structure your research to continue developing a primary research topic and search a second individual source to learn to take notes on that source. Although often a time consuming process, the notes you take will eventually become the ideas you present regarding your topic in the final research paper. You will use index cards to take these notes as they will be easy to organize later on in this process. You will be repeating the process you completed in Lesson 105. The first thing to do is to look at your SQ3R for the second source you are using. You should have developed a question that explains your major purpose for reading that source. Make sure to keep this question in your mind at all times as you take notes using the procedures below to answer this question. You will be reading carefully through this source to find important information. Not all information, however, is important or relevant to your research topic. Always ask yourself, “Does this answer or relate to my research question?” You should only include one piece of information on each index card. As you find an important piece of information related to your topic, REWRITE this information on an index card in your own words. Do not copy the information word-for-word—paraphrase what is written or summarize the piece of information if it is lengthy. The only time you should copy word-for-word is if you find an important quotation you may want to use in your paper. In these cases, make sure to place quotation marks around the quote and note the author of the quotation at the bottom of the card. For each index card that comes from this informational text, place a #2 in a circle at the top left-hand corner of the card so that you remember where the information came from. Place the page number at the bottom of each index card noting where the information came from as well. Continue reading through this source until you feel you have a comprehensive list of information answering your research question. Lesson Wrap-Up: There is a significant amount of re-writing and re-stating in research. Why do you think this is?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 107—1
Lesson 107
The Research Process: SQ3R
Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the SQ3R process and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to paraphrase and transcribe previously researched information. Materials Needed: Internet access, Writing Journal, “Developing your Research Topic” activity from previous Lesson Engage: Engaging Question: Do you find that it is easier to take notes on a broader subject or a more specific topic? Why do you feel this way? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This is the final Lesson for the student to take notes. Be sure to assess the student’s progress by monitoring the note-taking process carefully. Work with the student on any areas that she is struggling with and correct any mistakes before going on to next Lesson. Homework Required: Refer to the “Developing your Research Topic” in this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review the note-taking procedure and SQ3R with the student. The note-taking exercise is over, but you must reinforce that the student has learned a technique and not merely completed an exercise. See the Lesson Wrap-Up question at the end of the student manual, and help the student answer the question.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 107—1
Lesson 107
The Research Process: SQ3R
Do you find that it is easier to take notes on a broader subject or a more specific topic? Why do you feel this way? You have already begun your research as you completed the “Developing your Research Topic” activity in Lesson 104. Looking back at that you should have used the SQ3R reading strategy to preview three of the sources you chose to use as informational texts by gathering a list of questions and ideas that you have about your career. In this Lesson, you will structure your research to continue developing a primary research topic and search a third individual source to learn to take notes on that source. Although often a time consuming process, the notes you take will eventually become the ideas you present regarding your topic in the final research paper. You will use index cards to write these notes as they will be easy to organize later on in this process. You will be repeating the process you completed several Lessons ago. The first thing to do is to look at your SQ3R for the third source you are using. You should have developed a question that explains your major purpose for reading that source. Make sure to keep this question in your mind at all times as you take notes using the procedures below to answer this question. You will be reading carefully through this source to find important information. Not all information, however, is important or relevant to your research topic. Always ask yourself, “Does this answer or relate to my research question?” You should only include one piece of information on each index card. As you find an important piece of information related to your topic, REWRITE this information on an index card in your own words. Do not copy the information word-for-word—paraphrase what is written or summarize the piece of information if it is lengthy. The only time you should copy word-for-word is if you find an important quotation you may want to use in your paper. In these cases, make sure to place quotation marks around the quote and note the author of the quotation at the bottom of the card. For each index card that comes from this informational text (your third source), place a #3 in a circle at the top left-hand corner of the card so that you remember where the information came from. Place the page number at the bottom of each index card noting where the information came from as well. Continue reading through this source until you feel you have a comprehensive list of information answering your research question. Lesson Wrap-Up: Do you prefer using note cards to using the long-hand notes you took previously? Why or why not? Do you see the value of using note cards?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 108—1
Lesson 108
The Research Process: Making an Outline
Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the outlining process and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to understand the research process. Key Vocabulary: Outline, Organizational Structure Materials Needed: Internet access, Writing Journal Engage: Engaging Question: How could an outline possibly help you with writing a research paper? What would an effective outline look like? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Over the last several Lessons, the student has learned how to take notes on index cards that will be used to form the first draft of their research paper. From this Lesson, the student will learn how to organize ideas to effectively develop a paper. She will learn outline formatting and practice this with her own notes. Advanced Preparation: The student will need all previous work she has completed regarding the research process, to complete the organization activities in Lesson 108. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student use the outline example as well as the procedures discussed on how to create a rough outline to prepare an outline that shows the basic organizational structure that her research paper will follow. Remind the student that she may use short phrases or complete sentences in preparation of your outline, but remember that the more information you give in the outline, the easier time she will have to construct the first draft of the paper.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 108—1
Lesson 108
The Research Process: Making an Outline
How could an outline possibly help you with writing a research paper? What would an effective outline look like? Over the last several Lessons, you have learned how to take notes on index cards that will be used to form the first draft of your research paper. In this Lesson, you will learn how to organize the ideas so that you will be able to see how your paper will develop. Using an outlining process will help you focus the organizational structure of your paper. Your outline is a rough idea of how your paper will flow. You will follow the procedures below to construct a basic outline that will be used when you organize your index cards. Outline Procedure Introduction—In the introduction you will introduce your topic to the reader, explaining to the reader why you are writing this paper. The introduction should answer your basic research question that you have been focused on answering throughout the research process. The introduction should also allude to the key points you will describe in greater detail throughout the paper. Body—The body of your paper will need to be at least three paragraphs in length; one paragraph for each key point you will discuss. In each paragraph, you will need to use examples and details to explain your key point.
A. Body Paragraph #1 1. Example / detail 2. Example / detail 3. Example / detail B. Body Paragraph #2 1. Example / detail 2. Example / detail 3. Example / detail C. Body Paragraph #2 1. Example / detail 2. Example / detail 3. Example / detail
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 108—2
Conclusion—You should use the conclusion paragraph to wrap-up your research, restate the research question you answered throughout the paper, and summarize the key points you made throughout the paper. Outline Example If I were to write a research paper on why I want to be a teacher, the following might be an example of a tentative outline I would use.
I. Introduction—In my introduction, I will explain to my reader that I am interested in pursuing a career in education because of my desire to work with children, the flexible schedule teaching gives, and because of the salary and benefits offered to teachers. II. Body A. I am interested in pursuing a career in education because of my desire to work with children. 1. I will discuss the job requirements of a teacher. 2. I will discuss the emotional benefits of being a teacher. 3. I will discuss the reasons why people enjoy being a teacher. B. I am interested in pursuing a career in education because of the flexible schedule teaching offers. 1. I will discuss the hours a teacher works. 2. I will discuss the holidays and vacation time offered to teachers. C. I am interested in pursuing a career in teaching because of the benefits offered to teachers. 1. I will discuss the financial benefits of teaching. 2. I will discuss the medical insurance benefits of teaching. 3. I will discuss the other benefits of teaching that teachers experience through their daily interactions on the job with fellow staff members and students. III. Conclusion—In the conclusion I will restate my desire to pursue a career in education because of the three reasons discussed above. I will wrap-up the research paper and leave the reader with a sense of understanding of the answer to my research question. Lesson Wrap-Up: Use the outline example as well as the procedures discussed on how to create a rough outline to prepare an outline that shows the basic organizational structure that your research paper will follow. You may use short phrases or complete sentences in preparation of your outline, but remember that the more information you give in the outline, the easier time you will have to construct the first draft of the paper.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 109—1
Lesson 109
The Research Process: Organizing Information
Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the outlining and note-taking processes and knowledge of how to read informational texts in order to understand the research process. Materials Needed: Internet access, Writing Journal, research outline Engage: Engaging Question: What is the correlation between an outline and the index cards you took notes on? Do you find one more useful than the other? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will organize his index cards in the same order as the outline she prepared. Next, the student will complete the “Organizing Your Research Paper” handout using his index cards that have been organized by idea or topic. This handout will be the focus of the next Lesson since it will be useful in writing a rough draft. Advanced Preparation: The student will need the outline prepared in Lesson 108 and the note cards prepared in Lesson 107 to continue the research process in this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss with student the benefits of organization, including the increased focus good organization provides as well as demonstrating how good organization facilitates the writing process.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 109—1
Lesson 109
The Research Process: Organizing Information
During the last Lesson, you prepared an outline of your research paper in order to provide an overall idea of what structure the paper will take on. In this Lesson, you will continue to define your paper by organizing your index cards according to the outline you prepared in the previous Lesson. In order to organize your index cards, you will want a clean surface or space to work so that you can spread the index cards out. The first thing you should do is read through each index card and place each card in a pile that discusses the same idea or topic. For example, you might have a pile of index cards on the topic of salary, another pile on the topic of job requirements, another pile of cards on the topic of working conditions, and so on. This organization process may take some time, but it will be well worth it to take the time to make sure that each pile focuses on only one topic. Next, you will want to complete the “Organizing Your Research Paper” handout using your index cards that have been organized by idea or topic. This handout will be the focus of Lesson 110 and it will be useful to you as you begin writing a rough draft of your research paper. Lesson Wrap-Up: Think about the paper you are going to write—in what ways is all this preparation going to make writing the paper easier? Which exercises do you think have been the most helpful?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 109—2
The Research Process
Organizing Your Research Paper Directions: You have organized your index cards that you took notes on in piles by topic or idea. Using your outline as a guide, place any piles of index cards aside whose topics are not included in your outline. Next, complete each portion of the handout below using only the index card piles remaining that apply to the key points in your outline. A. The first reason you want to pursue a career in
is because of
Some pieces of information you will use from your index cards to support this idea are: 1.
The source this piece of information came from is #
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2.
The source this piece of information came from is #
3.
The source this piece of information came from is #
4.
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 109—3
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 109—4
The source this piece of information came from is #
5.
The source this piece of information came from is #
One really good quotation regarding this reason you want to pursue this career is:
The source of this quotation came from #
B. The second reason you want to pursue a career in
is because of
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 109—5
Some pieces of information you will use from your index cards to support this idea are: 1.
The source this piece of information came from is #
2.
The source this piece of information came from is #
3.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 109—6
The source this piece of information came from is #
4.
The source this piece of information came from is #
5.
The source this piece of information came from is #
One really good quotation regarding this reason you want to pursue this career is:
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 109—7
The source of this quotation came from #
C. The third reason you want to pursue a career in
is because of
Some pieces of information you will use from your index cards to support this idea are: 1.
The source this piece of information came from is #
2.
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The source this piece of information came from is #
3.
The source this piece of information came from is #
4.
The source this piece of information came from is #
5.
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 109—8
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 109—9
The source this piece of information came from is #
One really good quotation regarding this reason you want to pursue this career is:
The source of this quotation came from #
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 110—1
Lesson 110
The Research Process: Writing the Rough Draft
Objective: The student will be able to use and apply the outlining and note-taking processes to construct a well-written first draft of a research paper. Key Vocabulary: Rough Draft, Revision / Revising, Materials Needed: Writing Journal, research outline, research organization chart Engage: Engaging Question: What are some things you would want to know about a particular career path before choosing it for your future? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Begin the Lesson by referring to the “Career Research Paper Requirements” handout before the student begins writing the rough draft. This handout will help the student understand the guidelines he should follow throughout preparation of the paper. In this Lesson, the student will begin writing a first draft. Advanced Preparation: The student will need the outline he previously prepared as well as the organization chart compiled in Lesson 109. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write a rough draft of a research paper based on notes compiled between Lessons 103 and 110.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 110—1
Lesson 110
The Research Process: Writing the Rough Draft
What are some things you would want to know about a particular career path before choosing it for your future? In this Lesson, you will begin writing a rough first draft of your research paper. The organization chart you prepared in the last Lesson will help you write your rough draft so that you do not need to use any of the informational texts you researched initially in this process to prepare the draft—all of the ideas you will use to write your paper should come from your handout since you used your index cards to prepare this tool. You will follow the Career Research Paper Requirements found at the end of this Lesson to construct a hand-written rough draft of your paper. Remember that you should not have copied any information directly word-for-word from an informational text you used as a research source. Each piece of information should be paraphrased, summarized, or quoted directly. Remember that anytime you use an idea or fact that is not your own common knowledge, you have to give credit to the author, even if you paraphrased or summarized the idea. This process will be explained in greater detail during the next Lesson. For this Lesson, simply place the number of the source to which you found each piece of information in parentheses at the end of each idea or sentence. Lesson Wrap-Up: You will write a rough draft of your research paper following the requirements discussed in this Lesson by your teacher.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 110—2
Career Research Paper Requirements Content Requirements An introduction to get the reader’s attention and introduce the career you have chosen to explore throughout the paper. At least three body paragraphs, each explaining one key reason why you want to pursue this particular career. At least three supporting details or examples given in each body paragraph to explain your key point. A conclusion restating your introduction. Documentation Requirements Each idea you give in your paper that is not your own common knowledge must be documented according to the documentation handout. Convention Requirements Correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation should be used. Proper grammar usage is required. Sentences should be written clearly and fluently with appropriate word choice. Final Copy Requirements (read this part later—it is not required that you type your rough draft. You will revise your draft in Lesson 114) The final copy of the paper should be typed. Double-space the entire paper. Use one inch margins around the entire paper. Use only a font size of 12, with Times New Roman or Arial font. Place your name and date in upper left-hand corner of the paper. Center a title of your paper underneath your name and date. Place your bibliography at the end of the paper.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 111—1
Lesson 111
The Research Process: Crediting Sources
Objective: The student will be able to use appropriate documentation techniques to learn how to give credit to an author whose ideas have been used in your research paper. Key Vocabulary: Plagiarism, Citation, Bibliography Materials Needed: Rough draft of research paper, index cards Engage: Engaging Question: Do you think it is okay to use another person’s ideas in your paper? If so, how can you do this? If not, why not? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson the student will learn how to cite resources are used for a research paper. He will learn the meaning of plagiarism and how to avoid this offense by properly documenting another’s ideas in his own work. Advanced Preparation: The student will need the rough draft written in Lesson 110 to complete this Lesson’s activities. Lesson Wrap-Up: Take time to discuss good citation practices with the student. Review the documentation guidelines, and stress the importance of avoiding plagiarism.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 111—1
Lesson 111
The Research Process: Crediting Sources
Do you think it is okay to use another person’s ideas in your paper? If so, how can you do this? If not, why not? In this Lesson, you will learn how to give credit to the authors of the informational texts you chose to use in your research paper, as well as how to create your bibliography listing these sources. This process is used so that you are not guilty of plagiarism in your paper. Plagiarism occurs when a writer passes off someone else’s ideas as her own, without giving credit to the author whose ideas are used. Plagiarism is a major offense and is often punishable by a failing grade in middle and high school all the way to expulsion from school in college. Your ability to understand how to document others’ ideas used in your research paper throughout the next several years will help you through college courses requiring the research process to be completed in many assignments. To begin, you should have your index cards that you used in your rough draft, as well as the rough draft of your paper. When you wrote your rough draft, you placed the source number in parentheses at the end of each idea you used that was not your own common knowledge. First, you will replace each source number with the appropriate information based on the “Documentation in the Research Paper” information
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 111—2
The Research Process
Documentation in the Research Paper When documenting the author of the ideas you used in your research paper, it is customary to use the Modern Language Association format, often called MLA format. MLA format is one of several styles used to cite sources, and it is the one you will use for this paper. If the source you are using to present an idea is from a book: Use the author’s last name followed by the page number where the information came from in parentheses. Place the period after the parentheses instead of at the end of the idea. Example: One out of every five teachers quits within the first five years of teaching (Smith 4). Smith is the author’s last name. 4 is the page number of this book. If the source you are using to present an idea is a magazine article: Use the author’s last name followed by the page number where the information came from in parentheses. Place the period after the parentheses instead of at the end of the idea. Example: The average salary of a first year teacher in Michigan is $43,230 (Avery 6–7). Avery is the author’s last name. 6–7 are the page numbers of this article. If the source you are using to present an idea is an encyclopedia article: Use the author’s last name followed by a comma and then the first word of the title of the entry in parentheses. Place the period after the parentheses instead of at the end of the idea. Example: Teachers enjoy many benefits such as a planned retirement package, medical insurance, and life insurance (Parker, “Teaching”). Parker is the author’s last name. “Teaching” is the first word of the title of the encyclopedia entry.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 111—3
If the source you are using to present information is from the online database Infotrac: Use the author’s last name followed by a comma, then the first word of the online article in parentheses. Place the period after the parentheses instead of before. Example: The highest paying state for first year teachers is California (Steele, “Education”). Steele is the author’s last name. “Education” is the first word of the article. If the source you are using to present information is a website with an author: Use the author’s last name followed by a comma then the first word of the title of the website in parentheses. Place the period after the parentheses. Example: Teachers with higher education degrees earn an average of $12,000 more a year than those with Bachelor’s degrees only (Johnson, The Education). Johnson is the author’s last name. The Education are the first two words of the title If the source you are using to present information is a website without an author: Use the title of the website in parentheses. Place the period after the parentheses. Example: Teachers become sick with cold and flu symptoms an average of three times more than workers in non-education fields (The Joys of Teaching). The Joys of Teaching is the title of the website. Lesson Wrap-Up: Every piece of information that is not your common knowledge must be documented. If the first word of a title is “The,” use the first and second word in the parentheses if applicable. Follow the documentation guidelines carefully. It is easy to get mixed up, but very important to get it right. Your teacher will discuss with you the importance of good documentation.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 112—1
Lesson 112
The Research Process: The Bibliography
Objective: The student will be able to use appropriate documentation techniques to learn how to give credit to an author whose ideas you have used in your research paper. Key Vocabulary Needed: Plagiarism, Bibliography Materials Needed: Rough draft of research paper, index cards Engage: Engaging Question: Let’s say your teacher gave you an assignment to come up with a new electronic device that someone your age would use. A classmate asks you if you have come up with any ideas. You tell her your idea and she thinks it’s really great. The next day in class the teacher wants to know if anyone came up with a great idea for an electronic. Your classmate raises her hand and offers your suggestion to the teacher. The thing is, she doesn’t mention that it was your idea. The teacher assumes it was her own. How does this make you feel? What could the classmate have done differently? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will be completing the documentation process she began in Lesson 111, by taking the information from each of the sources used in her research paper to create a rough draft of the bibliography page. The student will follow the Bibliography Page handout to complete this rough draft. She will then be ready to begin revising and editing her paper. Advanced Preparation: The student will need the rough draft from the previous Lesson to complete this Lesson’s activities. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student use the “Bibliography Page” handout and the rough draft of her research paper to hand-write a rough draft of her bibliography.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 112—1
Lesson 112
The Research Process: The Bibliography
Let’s say your teacher gave you an assignment to come up with a new electronic that kids your age would use. A classmate asks you if you have come up with any ideas. You tell her your idea and she thinks it’s really great. The next day in class the teacher wants to know if anyone came up with a great idea for an electronic. Your classmate raises her hand and offers your suggestion to the teacher. The thing is, she doesn’t mention that it was your idea. The teacher assumes it was her own. How does this make you feel? What could the classmate have done differently? In the Lesson 111, you worked through your rough draft of your research paper to give credit to any author whose ideas you used in your research paper. The nature of research is designed to teach you how to gather and organize pieces of information from various texts in order to answer an overall question. When writing a research paper, you will always be taking another person’s ideas and rewriting them to satisfy your own topic choice and answer your research question. However, to avoid becoming guilty of plagiarism, which means passing off someone else’s ideas as your own without giving credit to the author, you must use proper documentation techniques. In this Lesson, you will be completing the documentation process you began in Lesson 111 by taking the information from each of the sources you used in your research paper to create a rough draft of the bibliography page. This will complete your paper. Be sure to follow the “Bibliography Page” handout to complete this rough draft. Once you have completed the bibliography page, you will then be ready to begin revising and editing your paper.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 112—2
The Research Process
Bibliography Page Information For each of the sources you used in your research paper, you will need a bibliography entry giving the source information. These entries should be alphabetized by the first word in the entry and completed according to the information below. Indent the second line of each entry. Bibliography entry for a Book: List in order, separated by periods, the author’s last name, the title of the book underlined, the city and state of publication, the publication company, and the copyright of the book. After each piece in the entry, use three spaces. Example: Smith, John. Teaching in America. Publications Inc. 2003.
New York, New York: Summit
Bibliography entry for a Magazine Article: List in order, separated by periods, the author’s last name, the title of the article in quotation marks, the title of the magazine underlined, the date of publication, and the page numbers the article occurs on. After each piece in the entry, use three spaces. Example: Avery, Joan. “The Most Rewarding Profession in America.” National Educator August 2004: 6-8. Bibliography entry for an Encyclopedia Entry: List in order, separated by periods, the author’s last name, the title of the entry, the title of the encyclopedia, the edition number, and the date of the edition. After each piece in the entry, use three spaces. Example: Parker, Samantha. “Teaching.” The New Encyclopedia. 6th edition. 1999. Bibliography entry for an article from Infotrac: List in order, separated by periods, the author’s last name, the title of the article, the title of the major work from where the article came, the date of publication, the page numbers, the online database name, the name of the location where you found the article, the date you found the article, and the website. After each piece of information in the entry, use three spaces. Example: Steele, Robert. “Education in America.” Scholastic Parent. December 2004: 71-75. InfoTrac. University of Michigan Library, Ann Arbor. June 3, 2007.
. Bibliography entry for a website with an author: List in order, separated by periods, the author’s name, the title of the website underlined,
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 112—3
the date of publication, the date you accessed the website, and the complete web address. Example: Johnson, Sally. The Education in America. 2002. January 10, 2005. . Bibliography entry for a website without an author: List in order, separated by periods, the title of the website underlined, the date of publication, the date you accessed the website, and the complete web address. Example: The Joys of Teaching. October 2000. September 3, 2007. .
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 112—4
Sample Bibliography Page
***Notice each entry is alphabetized by the first word in the entry, except “the”.*** Lesson Wrap-Up: You will use the “Bibliography Page” handout and the rough draft of your research paper to hand-write a rough draft of your bibliography.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 113—1
Lesson 113
The Research Process: Revising and Editing
Objective: The student will be able to revise and edit research paper according to the requirements the paper will be graded upon. Materials Needed: Red pens, Rough draft of research paper, Index cards, Rough draft of bibliography from Lesson 102, Computer access Engage: Engaging Question: What do the words “revise” and “edit” mean to you? Do they mean the same thing? If they mean different things, what is their difference? How do you think revision and editing improve your written work? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will begin the revision process. The student will read his paper line by line and make corrections as he reads. These corrections should be done in red pen. Once the student has completed this, he should type a revised draft of his paper. If it is impractical that the student type the paper, then he may hand-write it, but do reinforce the importance of good typing skills as an asset in later grades. Advance Preparation: The student will need the rough draft of the research paper and bibliography completed in Lessons 110 and 112. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss the student’s feelings regarding the paper. Try to point out where good note taking and outlining practices contributed to the final draft, and look for areas in which the paper needs the most improvement.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 113—1
Lesson 113
The Research Process: Revising and Editing
What do the words revise and edit mean to you? Do they mean the same thing; what is that? If they mean different things, what is the difference? How do you think revision and editing improve your written work? At this point in the research process, you are ready to begin revising and editing your rough draft to produce a well written, clean, error-free final copy. Recall from Lesson 100 that the career research paper requirements were outlined in great detail. Be sure to keep these requirements in mind as you complete this activity. Begin by slowly reading your rough draft aloud to yourself, line by line. This is part of the revision process. You should make any corrections that you may find as you read aloud with a red pen. Be sure to complete the revision checklist as you read as well. Be critical of your own writing—if there are mistakes or areas that you need to work on, be honest in noting these areas that may need revision. Reading aloud will help you “hear” what your paper sounds like to a reader and will often show you major areas that need to be fixed, that you may not find by reading silently. After completing one revision of your paper, you should take the time to type a new, clean copy of your research paper that will again be placed through the rest of the revision and editing process. Type this new copy, making sure that you use the correct margin size, font and font size, and spacing as indicated in the paper requirements. Make sure to also include your bibliography with your second draft.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 113—2
Revision Checklist Writing Style: ______ My writing is clearly organized. ______ My writing flows fluently as I read. ______ My writing grabs my attention as I read. Content: ______ The content is clear and easy to understand. ______ There are not any unnecessary ideas or pieces of information included in the paper. ______ All facts / main points include supporting details or explanations. Mechanics: ______ Grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct. Requirements: ______ The paper requirements are met (topic choice, sources, margins, font, spacing, etc.) Lesson Wrap-Up: You will now complete your second draft of this research paper. In which areas does your paper need the most improvement? Which areas are the strongest?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 114—1
Lesson 114
The Research Process: Creating the Final Copy
Objective: The student will be able to revise and edit a research paper according to the requirements upon which the paper will be graded. Key Vocabulary: Peer Editing, Final Draft Materials Needed: Red pens, typed (second) draft of research paper, computer access, revision checklist Engage: Engaging Question: What improvement did you notice in your paper after one revision? Did you tend to notice many of the same mistakes or areas that required improvement? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, you, the teacher, will edit your student’s research paper. Be sure to point out any areas that seem unclear and make suggestions as to what could provide better clarity. Explain to your student that it is important for another person to provide feedback on a written paper, because often an outside reader notices things that the original writer passes up. Advanced Preparation: The student will need the second draft of the research paper and bibliography to complete the Lesson. Lesson Wrap-up: Compare the second and final drafts, and note which elements changed between these drafts—likewise, which elements remained nearly the same from the earliest stages of this project.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 114—1
Lesson 114
The Research Process: Creating the Final Copy
What improvement did you notice in your paper after one revision? Did you tend to notice many of the same mistakes or areas that required improvement? During the last Lesson, you read the rough draft of your research paper aloud and made any revisions that were needed to produce a well-written paper. In this Lesson, you will complete one final revision of your paper with the help of your teacher. Provide your teacher with the typed second draft of your research paper to read aloud and make any necessary revisions or changes that she may see throughout reading the paper. This is what as known as peer-editing. Your teacher can provide extra insight on what would improve the paper and provide extra clarity for an outside reader. Sometimes as a writer, sentences make sense to you because you know what you are trying to say, but a reader may not grasp your meaning. It will be helpful if your teacher makes revisions in red pen just as you did in the previous Lesson After your teacher has read the paper, type the final copy of the research paper, making sure to meet all of the career research paper requirements that were listed and outlined for you, and paying close attention to any mistakes or errors that may have been made in your documentation or on your bibliography page. When you feel the paper is complete and all requirements have been met, print the final copy of the research paper and be prepared to turn the paper in during the next Lesson. Lesson Wrap-up: Your research paper is now complete, and will be evaluated by your instructor. Which elements of this paper have stayed the same (or been modified the least) since the earliest drafts? Which have changed the most?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 115—1
Lesson 115
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson
Objective: The student will critically read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Key Vocabulary Needed: Cyclone, Anxious, Comrade, Adjective Materials Needed: Writing Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Where is your “somewhere over the rainbow”(a place that you dream of visiting or a place that you escape to when life seems frustrating or hard.) Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question you will give a Mini-Lesson on adjective usage in writing. The student will complete an activity to demonstrate their understanding of this information. This Lesson also marks the beginning of the text The Wonderful Wizard of Oz which the student will read through the next several Lessons. For this Lesson, the student will read Chapter One of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and complete the corresponding study questions. Adjectives Practice Worksheet Answer Key: three, how many; expansive, what kind; new, what kind bright, what kind five, how many; snowy, what kind kind, what kind; thank-you, what kind; birthday, what kind two, how many black, what kind long, what kind three, how many new, which ones new, what kind
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 115—2
Chapter One Study Questions Where and with whom did Dorothy live? In Kansas with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. What is a cyclone? What is the significance of the cyclone in this chapter? Why is it so important? A cyclone is a tornado, a strong funnel of wind that destroys most things in its path. It is significant because it separates Dorothy from her family. What emotions did Dorothy display in this chapter and how do you see these emotions? Dorothy enjoys fun and laughs. This is told through the narrator. She is also brave because she remains calm when the cyclone picks up her house. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student attempt to read the sentences on the “Adjectives Practice” handout and identify the adjective present in each sentence. The student should be able to identify the adjective, and say what question the adjective is answering.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 115—1
Lesson 115
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson
Where is your “somewhere over the rainbow(a place that you dream of visiting or a place that you escape to when life seems frustrating or hard)” ? To begin Lesson 115, you will be engaged in a mini-Lesson on the correct usage of adjectives. An adjective is a word describing a noun or a pronoun. To identify an adjective in a sentence, it is often helpful to first find the noun or pronoun in the sentence, and then to ask yourself the following questions related to the noun or pronoun the adjective is modifying: What kind? Which one? How many? How much? Adjectives can be seen in the following example sentences: Example: A “strong” wind was the initial cause of the tornado. The word strong answers the question “what kind” related to the noun wind. Example: The “five tiny” puppies delighted their owner. The words five and tiny answer the questions “how many” and “what kind” related to the noun puppies. Example: The “firstborn” child was the most spoiled. The word firstborn answers the question “which one” related to the child. Example: Amy swam in the “murky” lake. The word murky answers the question “what kind” related to the noun lake in the sentence. In this Lesson, you will begin reading the famous novel written by L. Frank Baum entitled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Although you may have seen the movie, which is loved by children and adults of all ages, often times a cinematic version of a book may differ from the actual book. You should pay attention to these differences throughout reading and analyzing the book, being sure to note of any differences in your writing journal. When you have finished reading the first chapter, you need to respond to the corresponding study questions. Lesson Wrap-Up: You should be able to read the sentences on the “Adjectives Practice” handout and identify the adjective present in each sentence. You should also be able to tell what question the adjective is answering in the sentence.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 115—2
Chapter One Study Questions Where and with whom did Dorothy live?
What is a cyclone? What is the significance of the cyclone in this chapter? Why is it so important?
What emotions did Dorothy display in this chapter and how do you see these emotions?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 115—3
The Wonderful Wizard of OZ By L. Frank Baum 1. The Cyclone Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer’s wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cookstove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar--except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole. When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else. When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and gaunt, and never smiled now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child’s laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy’s merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at. Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke. It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly. Today, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the doorstep and looked anxiously at the sky, which was even grayer than usual. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and looked at the sky too. Aunt Em was washing the dishes. From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and Uncle Henry and Dorothy could see
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 115—4
where the long grass bowed in waves before the coming storm. There now came a sharp whistling in the air from the south, and as they turned their eyes that way they saw ripples in the grass coming from that direction also. Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up. “There’s a cyclone coming, Em,” he called to his wife. “I’ll go look after the stock.” Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept. Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of the danger close at hand. “Quick, Dorothy!” she screamed. “Run for the cellar!” Toto jumped out of Dorothy’s arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great shriek from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor. Then a strange thing happened. The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon. The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it the exact center of the cyclone. In the middle of a cyclone the air is generally still, but the great pressure of the wind on every side of the house raised it up higher and higher, until it was at the very top of the cyclone; and there it remained and was carried miles and miles away as easily as you could carry a feather. It was very dark, and the wind howled horribly around her, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few whirls around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle. Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now there, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited to see what would happen. Once Toto got too near the open trap door, and fell in; and at first the little girl thought she had lost him. But soon she saw one of his ears sticking up through the hole, for the strong pressure of the air was keeping him up so that he could not fall. She crept to the hole, caught Toto by the ear, and dragged him into the room again, afterward closing the trap door so that no more accidents could happen. Hour after hour passed away, and slowly Dorothy got over her fright; but she felt quite lonely, and the wind shrieked so loudly all about her that she nearly became deaf. At first she had wondered if she would be dashed to pieces when the house fell again; but as the hours passed and nothing terrible happened, she stopped worrying and resolved to wait calmly and see what the future would bring. At last she crawled over the swaying floor to her bed, and lay down upon it; and Toto followed and lay down beside her. In spite of the swaying of the house and the wailing of the wind, Dorothy soon closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 115—5
Adjectives Practice Directions: In each sentence, underline the adjective(s) and tell the question the adjective answers regarding the noun or pronoun it is modifying.
The three sisters went to the expansive department store shopping for new dresses.
Amanda painted a bright picture for her mother at school.
Pauline and Sam walked five miles in the snowy weather to get to school.
Peter sent a kind thank-you letter to his friend for his birthday gift.
The baker poured two cups of flour into the mixer.
Dwayne brought his brother a black bicycle to borrow.
The teacher wrote the long directions on the board for all the students to read.
The mailman delivered three packages to their home.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 115—5
Sean wanted me to tell him where to find his new socks.
I heard my parents talking about buying a new car.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 116—1
Lesson 116
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson
Objective: The student will critically read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Key Vocabulary: Confidential, Earnest, Glance, Glisten Materials Needed: Writing Journal, Literary Selections: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Can you imagine how you would feel if you had to leave your home at a young age. How would you feel? Would you have any certain fears? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will begin with a mini-Lesson about adjectives. The student will get the opportunity to practice what she has learned. After, the student will read the second chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and respond to the corresponding study questions. More Adjectives Practice Answer Key
1.
Adjective
Article?
The an American
yes
Proper?
Noun, Pronoun, or Adj. being modified
yes yes
White House landmark landmark
2.
Chinese Pincher Every
yes yes
puppy puppy day
3.
An eight
yes
octopus legs
4.
The circus
yes
performer performer
5.
an African violet
yes yes
plant plant plant
TEACHER MANUAL
6.
7.
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 116—2
Adjective
Article?
The amusement two
park
the three an ice cream
Proper?
Noun, Pronoun, or Adj. being modified
yes
ride ride years
yes
street blocks sundae sundae
yes
8.
the Summit National
yes yes
outdoors Park
9.
A an
yes yes
train hour
10.
The
yes
bell
Chapter Two Study Questions Answer Key: Where did Dorothy’s house land and whom did Dorothy meet in this new place? Land of the Muchkins where she meets the Witch of the North and a few munchkins Who was killed when Dorothy’s house landed and what happened to this person’s body? The Wicked Witch of the East. Her body dries up in the sun. Describe in detail the people who appear to Dorothy after the witch is killed. Three were men and one a woman, the same height as Dorothy but much older, and all oddly dressed. They wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved. The hats of the men were blue; the little woman’s hat was white, and she wore a white gown that hung in pleats from her shoulders. The men were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore well-polished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops. The little woman’s face was covered with wrinkles, her hair was nearly white, and she walked rather stiffly. What did the Witch of the North give Dorothy, where was she told to go, and who was she told to see? How would this gift be helpful to her on this journey? A kiss to keep her safe on her journey to see the Wizard in the City of Emeralds. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student answer the following question in her Writing Journal: What do you think Dorothy’s first reaction was when her house landed and she stepped outside?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 116—1
Lesson 116
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson
Can you imagine how you would feel if you had to leave your home at a young age. How would you feel? Would you have any certain fears? In Lesson 116, you will continue the study of adjectives as they are used in language arts. Recall from the previous Lesson that an adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun in a sentence. A sentence can have more than one adjective or none at all. The simplest way to pick out the adjectives in a sentence is to find each noun or pronoun and ask yourself the following questions related to each noun or pronoun: What kind? Which one? How many? How much? In Lesson 116, you will learn that there are two other ways of uncovering adjectives in a sentence; the first is to examine the articles used in the sentence, the second is to look for proper nouns. Articles as Adjectives: The most common adjectives used in sentences are the articles “a”, “an”, and “the”. The articles “a” and “an” are used in front of singular nouns such as in the following sentences: Example: A store was robbed last night. Example: An elephant ran around at the zoo. In the sentences above, the article “a” modifies the noun “store”, and the article “an” modifies the noun “elephant.” The article “the” is used when modifying a person, place, thing, or idea such as in the sentences below. Example: The manager hired three new workers. Example: The camera scanned the audience. In the sentences above, the article “the” modifies the “manager” (a person), and the article “the” modifies the “camera” (a thing). Proper Adjectives: An adjective is considered a proper adjective when it is used to modify a proper noun. A proper noun is the specific name of a person, place, or thing. It is always capitalized. A proper adjective can easily be found because it will be capitalized. Examine the following example sentences below to look for the proper adjectives used. Example: The Italian restaurant was always busy on the weekends. Example: Pauline loved the African elephants that were displayed at the zoo.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 116—2
More Adjectives Practice Directions: In the sentences below, underline the adjective(s) once and the noun or pronoun each adjective modifies twice. Indicate if the adjective is an article (A), a proper adjective (P), or neither (N).
__________The White House is an American landmark.
__________Sue walked her Chinese Pincher puppy every day.
__________An octopus has eight legs called tentacles.
__________The circus performer made everyone smile and laugh.
__________Amy brought her mother an African violet plant to cheer her up.
__________The amusement park ride took two years to be finished.
__________Mom and dad walked down the street three blocks to buy an ice cream sundae.
__________She enjoyed the outdoors so much she went camping at Summit National Park each summer.
__________A train was stopped at the crossing for over an hour.
__________The bell rang loudly to end the school day. Now you can read Chapter Two of the novel silently and answer the Chapter Two Study Questions on a separate sheet of paper. Lesson Wrap-Up: In your Writing Journal, answer the following question: What do you think Dorothy’s first reaction was when her house landed and she stepped outside?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 116—3
Chapter Two Study Questions Where did Dorothy’s house land and whom did Dorothy meet in this new place?
Who was killed when Dorothy’s house landed and what happened to this person’s body?
Describe in detail the people who appear to Dorothy after the witch is killed.
What did the Witch of the North give Dorothy, where was she told to go, and who was she told to see? How would this gift be helpful to her on this journey?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 116—4
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 2. The Council with the Munchkins She was awakened by a shock, so sudden and severe that if Dorothy had not been lying on the soft bed she might have been hurt. As it was, the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what had happened; and Toto put his cold little nose into her face and whined dismally. Dorothy sat up and noticed that the house was not moving; nor was it dark, for the bright sunshine came in at the window, flooding the little room. She sprang from her bed and with Toto at her heels ran and opened the door. The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her, her eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she saw. The cyclone had set the house down very gently—for a cyclone—in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely patches of greensward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies. While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful sights, she noticed coming toward her a group of the [oddest] people she had ever seen. They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; but neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age, although they were, so far as looks go, many years older. Three were men and one a woman, and all were oddly dressed. They wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved. The hats of the men were blue; the little woman’s hat was white, and she wore a white gown that hung in pleats from her shoulders. Over it were sprinkled little stars that glistened in the sun like diamonds. The men were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore wellpolished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops. The men, Dorothy thought, were about as old as Uncle Henry, for two of them had beards. But the little woman was doubtless much older. Her face was covered with wrinkles, her hair was nearly white, and she walked rather stiffly. When these people drew near the house where Dorothy was standing in the doorway, they paused and whispered among themselves, as if afraid to come farther. But the little old woman walked up to Dorothy, made a low bow and said, in a sweet voice: “You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage.” Dorothy listened to this speech with wonder. What could the little woman possibly mean by calling her a sorceress, and saying she had killed the Wicked Witch of the East? Dorothy was an innocent, harmless little girl, who had been carried by a cyclone many miles from home; and she had never killed anything in all her life. But the little woman evidently expected her to answer; so Dorothy said, with hesitation, “You
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 116—5
are very kind, but there must be some mistake. I have not killed anything.” “Your house did, anyway,” replied the little old woman, with a laugh, “and that is the same thing. See!” she continued, pointing to the corner of the house. “There are her two feet, still sticking out from under a block of wood.” Dorothy looked, and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed, just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes. “Oh, dear! Oh, dear!” cried Dorothy, clasping her hands together in dismay. “The house must have fallen on her. Whatever shall we do?” “There is nothing to be done,” said the little woman calmly. “But who was she?” asked Dorothy. “She was the Wicked Witch of the East, as I said,” answered the little woman. “She has held all the Munchkins in bondage for many years, making them slave for her night and day. Now they are all set free, and are grateful to you for the favor.” “Who are the Munchkins?” inquired Dorothy. “They are the people who live in this land of the East where the Wicked Witch ruled.” “Are you a Munchkin?” asked Dorothy. “No, but I am their friend, although I live in the land of the North. When they saw the Witch of the East was dead the Munchkins sent a swift messenger to me, and I came at once. I am the Witch of the North.” “Oh, gracious!” cried Dorothy. “Are you a real witch?” “Yes, indeed,” answered the little woman. “But I am a good witch, and the people love me. I am not as powerful as the Wicked Witch was who ruled here, or I should have set the people free myself.” “But I thought all witches were wicked,” said the girl, who was half frightened at facing a real witch. “Oh, no, that is a great mistake. There were only four witches in all the Land of Oz, and two of them, those who live in the North and the South, are good witches. I know this is true, for I am one of them myself, and cannot be mistaken. Those who dwelt in the East and the West were, indeed, wicked witches; but now that you have killed one of them, there is but one Wicked Witch in all the Land of Oz—the one who lives in the West.” “But,” said Dorothy, after a moment’s thought, “Aunt Em has told me that the witches were all dead—years and years ago.” “Who is Aunt Em?” inquired the little old woman.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 116—6
“She is my aunt who lives in Kansas, where I came from.” The Witch of the North seemed to think for a time, with her head bowed and her eyes upon the ground. Then she looked up and said, “I do not know where Kansas is, for I have never heard that country mentioned before. But tell me, is it a civilized country?” “Oh, yes,” replied Dorothy. “Then that accounts for it. In the civilized countries I believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized, for we are cut off from all the rest of the world. Therefore we still have witches and wizards amongst us.” “Who are the wizards?” asked Dorothy. “Oz himself is the Great Wizard,” answered the Witch, sinking her voice to a whisper. “He is more powerful than all the rest of us together. He lives in the City of Emeralds.” Dorothy was going to ask another question, but just then the Munchkins, who had been standing silently by, gave a loud shout and pointed to the corner of the house where the Wicked Witch had been lying. “What is it?” asked the little old woman, and looked, and began to laugh. The feet of the dead Witch had disappeared entirely, and nothing was left but the silver shoes. “She was so old,” explained the Witch of the North, “that she dried up quickly in the sun. That is the end of her. But the silver shoes are yours, and you shall have them to wear.” She reached down and picked up the shoes, and after shaking the dust out of them handed them to Dorothy. “The Witch of the East was proud of those silver shoes,” said one of the Munchkins, “and there is some charm connected with them; but what it is we never knew.” Dorothy carried the shoes into the house and placed them on the table. Then she came out again to the Munchkins and said: “I am anxious to get back to my aunt and uncle, for I am sure they will worry about me. Can you help me find my way?” The Munchkins and the Witch first looked at one another, and then at Dorothy, and then shook their heads. “At the East, not far from here,” said one, “there is a great desert, and none could live to cross it.” “It is the same at the South,” said another, “for I have been there and seen it. The South is the country of the Quadlings.” “I am told,” said the third man, “that it is the same at the West. And that country, where the Winkies live, is ruled by the Wicked Witch of the West, who would make you her slave if you passed
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 116—7
her way.” “The North is my home,” said the old lady, “and at its edge is the same great desert that surrounds this Land of Oz. I’m afraid, my dear, you will have to live with us.” Dorothy began to sob at this, for she felt lonely among all these strange people. Her tears seemed to grieve the kind-hearted Munchkins, for they immediately took out their handkerchiefs and began to weep also. As for the little old woman, she took off her cap and balanced the point on the end of her nose, while she counted “One, two, three” in a solemn voice. At once the cap changed to a slate, on which was written in big, white chalk marks: “LET DOROTHY GO TO THE CITY OF EMERALDS” The little old woman took the slate from her nose, and having read the words on it, asked, “Is your name Dorothy, my dear?” “Yes,” answered the child, looking up and drying her tears. “Then you must go to the City of Emeralds. Perhaps Oz will help you.” “Where is this city?” asked Dorothy. “It is exactly in the center of the country, and is ruled by Oz, the Great Wizard I told you of.” “Is he a good man?” inquired the girl anxiously. “He is a good Wizard. Whether he is a man or not I cannot tell, for I have never seen him.” “How can I get there?” asked Dorothy. “You must walk. It is a long journey, through a country that is sometimes pleasant and sometimes dark and terrible. However, I will use all the magic arts I know of to keep you from harm.” “Won’t you go with me?” pleaded the girl, who had begun to look upon the little old woman as her only friend. “No, I cannot do that,” she replied, “but I will give you my kiss, and no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by the Witch of the North.” She came close to Dorothy and kissed her gently on the forehead. Where her lips touched the girl they left a round, shining mark, as Dorothy found out soon after. “The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick,” said the Witch, “so you cannot miss it. When you get to Oz do not be afraid of him, but tell your story and ask him to help you.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 116—8
Good-bye, my dear.” The three Munchkins bowed low to her and wished her a pleasant journey, after which they walked away through the trees. The Witch gave Dorothy a friendly little nod, whirled around on her left heel three times, and straightway disappeared, much to the surprise of little Toto, who barked after her loudly enough when she had gone, because he had been afraid even to growl while she stood by. But Dorothy, knowing her to be a witch, had expected her to disappear in just that way, and was not surprised in the least.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 117—1
Lesson 117
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson
Objective: The student will critically read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Key Vocabulary: Hearty, Mishap, Mourn, Predicate adjective Materials Needed: Writing Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What are three adjectives you would use to describe the character of Dorothy so far in the story? Additional Notes to the Teacher: You will begin the Lesson with a mini-Lesson teaching appropriate adjective usage in writing. You may have to refer back to the Lessons on verbs and linking verbs before discussing predicate adjectives in this Lesson. The student will complete a Predicate Adjectives Worksheet to demonstrate his understanding of the Lesson. The student will then continue reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and answer the corresponding study questions. Predicate Adjectives Answer Key: Slow Loud, scary Sick Higher Afraid Amazed Lonely Excited Pressurized Shiny
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 117—2
Chapter Three Study Questions Answer Key: Who was Boq? He is one of the munchkins that welcomes Dorothy into his home and warns her of the dangerous journey ahead. How did Dorothy help the Scarecrow in this chapter? Takes the pole out of his back and helps him down. Why does the Scarecrow travel to Oz with Dorothy? To ask the Wizard for a brain. What is the one thing the Scarecrow is afraid of and why? A lighted match because he is made of straw and would catch on fire. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student read back through the text to look for 3 to 5 predicate adjectives in the sentences.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 117—1
Lesson 117
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson
What are three adjectives you would use to describe the character of Dorothy so far in the story? In this Lesson, you will continue studying adjectives as you learn what a predicate adjective is and how it is used. A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and describes or modifies the subject of the verb. Examine the following example sentences displaying this type of adjective. Example: The flight attendant is perky even in the morning. In the sentence above, “is” is the linking verb attached to the subject of the “flight attendant.” “Perky” is the predicate adjective. Example: My coat is dirty. In the sentence above, “is” is the linking verb, the subject is the “coat” and the predicate adjective “dirty” describes this subject. Example: Ice cream becomes soft when left out of the freezer for too long. In the sentence above, “becomes” is the linking verb, “ice cream” is the subject, and “soft” is the predicate adjective describing this subject. Example: The teachers at my school are strict enforcers of the rules. In the sentence above, “are” is the linking verb, the subject is the “teachers,” and the predicate adjective describing the teachers is “strict.” Example: Party-goers were rude to the host when they did not get enough to eat. In this final sentence, “were” is the linking verb, “party-goers” is the subject, and “rude” is the predicate adjective describing this subject.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 117—2
Predicate Adjectives Directions: In each sentence below, underline the predicate adjective.
The base runner was slow as he rounded the base.
The thunderous sounds were loud and scary to the young child.
Jimmy is sick of going to school everyday.
The students’ test scores were higher than on previous tests.
I am afraid of clowns and mimes.
Paul was amazed at the brightness of the moon tonight.
The bear cub is lonely at the zoo.
Amanda was excited about the dinner her mom made.
An airplane in the air is pressurized.
The new car she bought looked shiny.
As we continue our journey through Oz, we will meet the Scarecrow and learn how Dorothy saves the Scarecrow. Begin by reading Chapter Three of the novel silently, and then completing your answers to the Chapter Three Study Questions. Lesson Wrap-Up: Look back at the text after you have read it and see how quickly you can find 3 to 5 predicate adjectives in the sentences.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 117—3
Chapter Three Study Questions Who was Boq?
How did Dorothy help the Scarecrow in this chapter?
Why does the Scarecrow travel to Oz with Dorothy?
What is the one thing the Scarecrow is afraid of and why?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 117—4
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 3. How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow When Dorothy was left alone she began to feel hungry. So she went to the cupboard and cut herself some bread, which she spread with butter. She gave some to Toto, and taking a pail from the shelf she carried it down to the little brook and filled it with clear, sparkling water. Toto ran over to the trees and began to bark at the birds sitting there. Dorothy went to get him, and saw such delicious fruit hanging from the branches that she gathered some of it, finding it just what she wanted to help out her breakfast. Then she went back to the house, and having helped herself and Toto to a good drink of the cool, clear water, she set about making ready for the journey to the City of Emeralds. Dorothy had only one other dress, but that happened to be clean and was hanging on a peg beside her bed. It was gingham, with checks of white and blue; and although the blue was somewhat faded with many washings, it was still a pretty frock. The girl washed herself carefully, dressed herself in the clean gingham, and tied her pink sunbonnet on her head. She took a little basket and filled it with bread from the cupboard, laying a white cloth over the top. Then she looked down at her feet and noticed how old and worn her shoes were. “They surely will never do for a long journey, Toto,” she said. And Toto looked up into her face with his little black eyes and wagged his tail to show he knew what she meant. At that moment Dorothy saw lying on the table the silver shoes that had belonged to the Witch of the East. “I wonder if they will fit me,” she said to Toto. “They would be just the thing to take a long walk in, for they could not wear out.” She took off her old leather shoes and tried on the silver ones, which fitted her as well as if they had been made for her. Finally she picked up her basket. “Come along, Toto,” she said. “We will go to the Emerald City and ask the Great Oz how to get back to Kansas again.” She closed the door, locked it, and put the key carefully in the pocket of her dress. And so, with Toto trotting along soberly behind her, she started on her journey. There were several roads near by, but it did not take her long to find the one paved with yellow bricks. Within a short time she was walking briskly toward the Emerald City, her silver shoes tinkling merrily on the hard, yellow road-bed. The sun shone bright and the birds sang sweetly, and Dorothy did not feel nearly so bad as you might think a little girl would who had been suddenly whisked away from her own country and set down in the midst of a strange land. She was surprised, as she walked along, to see how pretty the country was about her. There were neat fences at the sides of the road, painted a dainty blue color, and beyond them were fields of grain and vegetables in abundance. Evidently the Munchkins were good farmers and able to raise large crops. Once in a while she would pass a house, and the people came out to look at her and bow low as she went by; for everyone knew she had been the means of destroying the Wicked Witch
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 117—5
and setting them free from bondage. The houses of the Munchkins were odd-looking dwellings, for each was round, with a big dome for a roof. All were painted blue, for in this country of the East blue was the favorite color. Toward evening, when Dorothy was tired with her long walk and began to wonder where she should pass the night, she came to a house rather larger than the rest. On the green lawn before it many men and women were dancing. Five little fiddlers played as loudly as possible, and the people were laughing and singing, while a big table near by was loaded with delicious fruits and nuts, pies and cakes, and many other good things to eat. The people greeted Dorothy kindly, and invited her to supper and to pass the night with them; for this was the home of one of the richest Munchkins in the land, and his friends were gathered with him to celebrate their freedom from the bondage of the Wicked Witch. Dorothy ate a hearty supper and was waited upon by the rich Munchkin himself, whose name was Boq. Then she sat upon a settee and watched the people dance. When Boq saw her silver shoes he said, “You must be a great sorceress.” “Why?” asked the girl. “Because you wear silver shoes and have killed the Wicked Witch. Besides, you have white in your frock, and only witches and sorceresses wear white.” “My dress is blue and white checked,” said Dorothy, smoothing out the wrinkles in it. “It is kind of you to wear that,” said Boq. “Blue is the color of the Munchkins, and white is the witch color. So we know you are a friendly witch.” Dorothy did not know what to say to this, for all the people seemed to think her a witch, and she knew very well she was only an ordinary little girl who had come by the chance of a cyclone into a strange land. When she had tired watching the dancing, Boq led her into the house, where he gave her a room with a pretty bed in it. The sheets were made of blue cloth, and Dorothy slept soundly in them till morning, with Toto curled up on the blue rug beside her. She ate a hearty breakfast, and watched a wee Munchkin baby, who played with Toto and pulled his tail and crowed and laughed in a way that greatly amused Dorothy. Toto was a fine curiosity to all the people, for they had never seen a dog before. “How far is it to the Emerald City?” the girl asked. “I do not know,” answered Boq gravely, “for I have never been there. It is better for people to keep away from Oz, unless they have business with him. But it is a long way to the Emerald City, and it will take you many days. The country here is rich and pleasant, but you must pass through rough and dangerous places before you reach the end of your journey.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 117—6
This worried Dorothy a little, but she knew that only the Great Oz could help her get to Kansas again, so she bravely resolved not to turn back. She bade her friends good-bye, and again started along the road of yellow brick. When she had gone several miles she thought she would stop to rest, and so climbed to the top of the fence beside the road and sat down. There was a great cornfield beyond the fence, and not far away she saw a Scarecrow, placed high on a pole to keep the birds from the ripe corn. Dorothy leaned her chin upon her hand and gazed thoughtfully at the Scarecrow. Its head was a small sack stuffed with straw, with eyes, nose, and mouth painted on it to represent a face. An old, pointed blue hat, that had belonged to some Munchkin, was perched on his head, and the rest of the figure was a blue suit of clothes, worn and faded, which had also been stuffed with straw. On the feet were some old boots with blue tops, such as every man wore in this country, and the figure was raised above the stalks of corn by means of the pole stuck up its back. While Dorothy was looking earnestly into the [odd], painted face of the Scarecrow, she was surprised to see one of the eyes slowly wink at her. She thought she must have been mistaken at first, for none of the scarecrows in Kansas ever wink; but presently the figure nodded its head to her in a friendly way. Then she climbed down from the fence and walked up to it, while Toto ran around the pole and barked. “Good day,” said the Scarecrow, in a rather husky voice. “Did you speak?” asked the girl, in wonder. “Certainly,” answered the Scarecrow. “How do you do?” “I’m pretty well, thank you,” replied Dorothy politely. “How do you do?” “I’m not feeling well,” said the Scarecrow, with a smile, “for it is very tedious being perched up here night and day to scare away crows.” “Can’t you get down?” asked Dorothy. “No, for this pole is stuck up my back. If you will please take away the pole I shall be greatly obliged to you.” Dorothy reached up both arms and lifted the figure off the pole, for, being stuffed with straw, it was quite light. “Thank you very much,” said the Scarecrow, when he had been set down on the ground. “I feel like a new man.” Dorothy was puzzled at this, for it sounded [odd] to hear a stuffed man speak, and to see him bow and walk along beside her.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 117—7
“Who are you?” asked the Scarecrow when he had stretched himself and yawned. “And where are you going?” “My name is Dorothy,” said the girl, “and I am going to the Emerald City, to ask the Great Oz to send me back to Kansas.” “Where is the Emerald City?” he inquired. “And who is Oz?” “Why, don’t you know?” she returned, in surprise. “No, indeed. I don’t know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all,” he answered sadly. “Oh,” said Dorothy, “I’m awfully sorry for you.” “Do you think,” he asked, “if I go to the Emerald City with you, that Oz would give me some brains?” “I cannot tell,” she returned, “but you may come with me, if you like. If Oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off than you are now.” “That is true,” said the Scarecrow. “You see,” he continued confidentially, “I don’t mind my legs and arms and body being stuffed, because I cannot get hurt. If anyone treads on my toes or sticks a pin into me, it doesn’t matter, for I can’t feel it. But I do not want people to call me a fool, and if my head stays stuffed with straw instead of with brains, as yours is, how am I ever to know anything?” “I understand how you feel,” said the little girl, who was truly sorry for him. “If you will come with me I’ll ask Oz to do all he can for you.” “Thank you,” he answered gratefully. They walked back to the road. Dorothy helped him over the fence, and they started along the path of yellow brick for the Emerald City. Toto did not like this addition to the party at first. He smelled around the stuffed man as if he suspected there might be a nest of rats in the straw, and he often growled in an unfriendly way at the Scarecrow. “Don’t mind Toto,” said Dorothy to her new friend. “He never bites.” “Oh, I’m not afraid,” replied the Scarecrow. “He can’t hurt the straw. Do let me carry that basket for you. I shall not mind it, for I can’t get tired. I’ll tell you a secret,” he continued, as he walked along. “There is only one thing in the world I am afraid of.” “What is that?” asked Dorothy; “the Munchkin farmer who made you?” “No,” answered the Scarecrow; “it’s a lighted match.”
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 118—1
Lesson 118
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson
Objective: The student will critically read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Key Vocabulary: Scamper, Wail Materials Needed: Writing Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What is your most memorable journey? What made it so memorable? Extensions: As an extension to Lesson 108, have the student use what she has learned about the Scarecrow character in the novel to create a Scarecrow representing what she feels the Scarecrow would look like. You will want to provide the student with a long stick or post to most the Scarecrow’s clothes on, some old clothes to use, and pillows or stuffing to stuff the Scarecrow with. If such an activity is impractical, simply have the student draw or paint the scarecrow. If this alternative is impractical as well, have the student write a descriptive paragraph about the scarecrow. Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will begin with a mini-Lesson about appropriate adjective usage in writing. The student will then get an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the Lesson. The student will then continue reading the next chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and answer the corresponding study questions. Chapter Four Study Questions Answer Key: Describe what the road through the forest was like for Dorothy and the Scarecrow. The bricks are broken and uneven. It is dark in the forest and the trees hang over the path, blocking out any light. What does the Scarecrow reveal to Dorothy while they walk through the forest? How he was made by the farmer. What happened once the farmer put the Scarecrow in the field? The crows were not afraid of him and ate the corn anyway. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write an answer to this Lesson’s Engaging Question using the words "some," “this,” “all,” “my,” “that,” “our,” and “each” as adjectives. The paragraph should be at least seven complete sentences in length.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 118—1
Lesson 118
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson
What is your most memorable journey? What made it so memorable? In this Lesson, you will learn that pronouns can also be used as adjectives. There are three types of pronouns that can be used: demonstrative, possessive, and indefinite. 1. Demonstrative Pronouns—The pronouns “this”, “that”, “these”, and “those” are considered demonstrative. In the following sentences, you can see how these words can be used as an adjective. Example: This store sells the fruits and vegetables. Example: That car gets the best gas mileage. 2. Possessive Pronouns—The pronouns “my”, “our”, “your”, “his”, “her”, “its”, and “their” are possessive pronouns that can be used as adjectives as seen in the following sentences. Example: My boat will need to get covered up before it rains. Example: Their daughter graduated with honors in college. 3. Indefinite Pronouns —The pronouns “all”, “each”, “both”, “few”, “most”, and “some” are considered indefinite and can be used as adjectives as seen in the sentences below. Example: Most family members agreed to go on vacation to the beach this year. Example: Some children played on the swings at recess. You will later get an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of this information. We will continue reading L. Frank Baum’s famous novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. You should begin by silently reading through Chapter Four of the novel and then completing your reading by answering the Chapter Four Study Questions on lined paper. Lesson Wrap-Up: Using the words given below, write a paragraph in which you answer the Engaging Question presented at the beginning of Lesson 118 and use the words “some,” “this,” “all,” “my,” “that,” “our,” and “each” as adjectives. The paragraph should be at least seven complete sentences in length.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 118—2
Chapter Four Study Questions Describe what the road through the forest was like for Dorothy and the Scarecrow.
What does the Scarecrow reveal to Dorothy while they walk through the forest?
What happened once the farmer put the Scarecrow in the field?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 118—3
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 4. The Road Through the Forest After a few hours the road began to be rough, and the walking grew so difficult that the Scarecrow often stumbled over the yellow bricks, which were here very uneven. Sometimes, indeed, they were broken or missing altogether, leaving holes that Toto jumped across and Dorothy walked around. As for the Scarecrow, having no brains, he walked straight ahead, and so stepped into the holes and fell at full length on the hard bricks. It never hurt him, however, and Dorothy would pick him up and set him upon his feet again, while he joined her in laughing merrily at his own mishap. The farms were not nearly so well cared for here as they were farther back. There were fewer houses and fewer fruit trees, and the farther they went the more dismal and lonesome the country became. At noon they sat down by the roadside, near a little brook, and Dorothy opened her basket and got out some bread. She offered a piece to the Scarecrow, but he refused. “I am never hungry,” he said, “and it is a lucky thing I am not, for my mouth is only painted, and if I should cut a hole in it so I could eat, the straw I am stuffed with would come out, and that would spoil the shape of my head.” Dorothy saw at once that this was true, so she only nodded and went on eating her bread. “Tell me something about yourself and the country you came from,” said the Scarecrow, when she had finished her dinner. So she told him all about Kansas, and how gray everything was there, and how the cyclone had carried her to this [odd] Land of Oz. The Scarecrow listened carefully, and said, “I cannot understand why you should wish to leave this beautiful country and go back to the dry, gray place you call Kansas.” “That is because you have no brains” answered the girl. “No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home.” The Scarecrow sighed. “Of course I cannot understand it,” he said. “If your heads were stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live in the beautiful places, and then Kansas would have no people at all. It is fortunate for Kansas that you have brains.” “Won’t you tell me a story, while we are resting?” asked the child. The Scarecrow looked at her reproachfully, and answered: “My life has been so short that I really know nothing whatever. I was only made day before yesterday. What happened in the world before that time is all unknown to me. Luckily, when the farmer made my head, one of the first things he did was to paint my ears, so that I heard what was going on. There was another Munchkin with him, and the first thing I heard was the farmer saying, `How do you like those ears?’ “`They aren’t straight,’” answered the other.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 118—4
“`Never mind,’” said the farmer. “`They are ears just the same,’” which was true enough. “`Now I’ll make the eyes,’” said the farmer. So he painted my right eye, and as soon as it was finished I found myself looking at him and at everything around me with a great deal of curiosity, for this was my first glimpse of the world. “`That’s a rather pretty eye,’” remarked the Munchkin who was watching the farmer. “`Blue paint is just the color for eyes.’ “`I think I’ll make the other a little bigger,’” said the farmer. And when the second eye was done I could see much better than before. Then he made my nose and my mouth. But I did not speak, because at that time I didn’t know what a mouth was for. I had the fun of watching them make my body and my arms and legs; and when they fastened on my head, at last, I felt very proud, for I thought I was just as good a man as anyone. “`This fellow will scare the crows fast enough,’ said the farmer. `He looks just like a man.’ “`Why, he is a man,’ said the other, and I quite agreed with him. The farmer carried me under his arm to the cornfield, and set me up on a tall stick, where you found me. He and his friend soon after walked away and left me alone. “I did not like to be deserted this way. So I tried to walk after them. But my feet would not touch the ground, and I was forced to stay on that pole. It was a lonely life to lead, for I had nothing to think of, having been made such a little while before. Many crows and other birds flew into the cornfield, but as soon as they saw me they flew away again, thinking I was a Munchkin; and this pleased me and made me feel that I was quite an important person. By and by an old crow flew near me, and after looking at me carefully he perched upon my shoulder and said: “`I wonder if that farmer thought to fool me in this clumsy manner. Any crow of sense could see that you are only stuffed with straw.’ Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the corn he wanted. The other birds, seeing he was not harmed by me, came to eat the corn too, so in a short time there was a great flock of them about me. “I felt sad at this, for it showed I was not such a good Scarecrow after all; but the old crow comforted me, saying, `If you only had brains in your head you would be as good a man as any of them, and a better man than some of them. Brains are the only things worth having in this world, no matter whether one is a crow or a man.’ “After the crows had gone I thought this over, and decided I would try hard to get some brains. By good luck you came along and pulled me off the stake, and from what you say I am sure the Great Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City.” “I hope so,” said Dorothy earnestly, “since you seem anxious to have them.” “Oh, yes; I am anxious,” returned the Scarecrow. “It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 118—5
one is a fool.” “Well,” said the girl, “let us go.” And she handed the basket to the Scarecrow. There were no fences at all by the roadside now, and the land was rough and untilled. Toward evening they came to a great forest, where the trees grew so big and close together that their branches met over the road of yellow brick. It was almost dark under the trees, for the branches shut out the daylight; but the travelers did not stop, and went on into the forest. “If this road goes in, it must come out,” said the Scarecrow, “and as the Emerald City is at the other end of the road, we must go wherever it leads us.” “Anyone would know that,” said Dorothy. “Certainly; that is why I know it,” returned the Scarecrow. “If it required brains to figure it out, I never should have said it.” After an hour or so the light faded away, and they found themselves stumbling along in the darkness. Dorothy could not see at all, but Toto could, for some dogs see very well in the dark; and the Scarecrow declared he could see as well as by day. So she took hold of his arm and managed to get along fairly well. “If you see any house, or any place where we can pass the night,” she said, “you must tell me; for it is very uncomfortable walking in the dark.” Soon after the Scarecrow stopped. “I see a little cottage at the right of us,” he said, “built of logs and branches. Shall we go there?” “Yes, indeed,” answered the child. “I am all tired out.” So the Scarecrow led her through the trees until they reached the cottage, and Dorothy entered and found a bed of dried leaves in one corner. She lay down at once, and with Toto beside her soon fell into a sound sleep. The Scarecrow, who was never tired, stood up in another corner and waited patiently until morning came.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 119—1
Lesson 119
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson
Objective: The student will critically read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Materials Needed: Writing Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Are things always what they seem? Can you think of one example in your own life where something ended up being different than it originally appeared? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will begin with a mini-Lesson about appropriate adjective usage in writing. The student will then get an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the Lesson. The student will then continue reading the next chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and answer the corresponding study questions. Answers for the Adjective Review will vary. Chapter Five Study Questions Answer Key: What did Dorothy and the Scarecrow go looking for in the morning? Water. Who did they find and where did they find this character? The Tin Woodman by a tree. What was this new character’s problem? He is rusted in place. What did this new friend of Dorothy’s want the Wizard of Oz to do for him? Give him a heart. How and why did the new friend become the Tin Woodman? The Wicked Witch cast a spell on his axe and he ended up cutting off every part of his body. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student who she thinks is right, the Scarecrow or the Tin Woodman? Which is more important—a brain or a heart?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 119—1
Lesson 119
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Mini-Lesson
Are things always what they seem? Can you think of one example in your own life where something ended up being different than it originally appeared? We will complete our study on adjectives during this Lesson. As you learned in the last Lesson, pronouns can be used as adjectives in certain cases. In this Lesson, you will learn that a noun can be used as an adjective as well if the word which is normally considered a noun is being used to modify another noun or pronoun. This can be seen in the example sentences below. Example: The mountain climber traveled slowly up the mountain. In the sentence above, the noun “mountain” is describing the noun “climber” and therefore is considered an adjective. Example: Sue baked a pineapple cake for her friend’s birthday. In the sentence above, the noun “pineapple” is describing the noun “cake” and therefore is considered an adjective. Example: My teacher encouraged us to participate in the skill training activity in gym class. In the sentence above, the noun “skill” is describing the noun “training” and therefore is considered an adjective. To prepare for the quiz on adjective usage which you will take in the next Lesson, complete the “Adjectives Review” worksheet.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 119—2
Adjectives Review Directions: In each sentence one adjective is missing. Write one adjective to complete the sentence. Sue helped the driver of the ___________________________ car involved in the accident. Graduating from college is the ___________________________ option you have.
Where is my ___________________________ suitcase that I need in order to leave on vacation?
The English student had a ___________________________ imagination when she was writing her paper.
Sammy is the ___________________________ son of Trudy.
Pugsley is very ___________________________ , so we may buy another dog.
I believe the driver in the post position will win the ___________________________ race tomorrow.
The highway stretches in ___________________________ directions.
Dad said he would give me more money each week when I turn ___________________________ years old.
I make my bed ___________________________ day.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 119—3
I have felt ___________________________ today and did not do my chores.
Amanda walked past the ___________________________ snake in her yard.
The snow storm brought ___________________________ conditions to the area.
I have ___________________________ practice today and soccer tomorrow. As you continue the journey through Oz with Dorothy and the Scarecrow, you will meet more new friends that Dorothy makes. While reading Chapter Five of the novel silently, think about the Engaging Question; considering if things are always what they seem in relation to the new friend Dorothy makes on her journey. After you have completed reading of Chapter Five, use a separate sheet of paper to answer the study questions. Lesson Wrap-Up: Who do you think is right, the Scarecrow or the Tin Woodman? Which is more important brains or a heart?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 119—4
Chapter Five Study Questions What did Dorothy and the Scarecrow go looking for in the morning?
Who did they find and where did they find this character?
What was this new character’s problem?
What did this new friend of Dorothy’s want the Wizard of Oz to do for him?
How and why did the new friend become the Tin Woodman?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 119—5
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 5. The Rescue of the Tin Woodman When Dorothy awoke the sun was shining through the trees and Toto had long been out chasing birds around him and squirrels. She sat up and looked around her. Scarecrow, still standing patiently in his corner, waiting for her. “We must go and search for water,” she said to him. “Why do you want water?” he asked. “To wash my face clean after the dust of the road, and to drink, so the dry bread will not stick in my throat.” “It must be inconvenient to be made of flesh,” said the Scarecrow thoughtfully, “for you must sleep, and eat and drink. However, you have brains, and it is worth a lot of bother to be able to think properly.” They left the cottage and walked through the trees until they found a little spring of clear water, where Dorothy drank and bathed and ate her breakfast. She saw there was not much bread left in the basket, and the girl was thankful the Scarecrow did not have to eat anything, for there was scarcely enough for herself and Toto for the day. When she had finished her meal, and was about to go back to the road of yellow brick, she was startled to hear a deep groan near by. “What was that?” she asked timidly. “I cannot imagine,” replied the Scarecrow; “but we can go and see.” Just then another groan reached their ears, and the sound seemed to come from behind them. They turned and walked through the forest a few steps, when Dorothy discovered something shining in a ray of sunshine that fell between the trees. She ran to the place and then stopped short, with a little cry of surprise. One of the big trees had been partly chopped through, and standing beside it, with an uplifted axe in his hands, was a man made entirely of tin. His head and arms and legs were jointed upon his body, but he stood perfectly motionless, as if he could not stir at all. Dorothy looked at him in amazement, and so did the Scarecrow, while Toto barked sharply and made a snap at the tin legs, which hurt his teeth. “Did you groan?” asked Dorothy. “Yes,” answered the tin man, “I did. I’ve been groaning for more than a year, and no one has ever heard me before or come to help me.” “What can I do for you?” she inquired softly, for she was moved by the sad voice in which the man spoke.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 119—6
“Get an oil-can and oil my joints,” he answered. “They are rusted so badly that I cannot move them at all; if I am well oiled I shall soon be all right again. You will find an oil-can on a shelf in my cottage.” Dorothy at once ran back to the cottage and found the oil-can, and then she returned and asked anxiously, “Where are your joints?” “Oil my neck, first,” replied the Tin Woodman. So she oiled it, and as it was quite badly rusted the Scarecrow took hold of the tin head and moved it gently from side to side until it worked freely, and then the man could turn it himself. “Now oil the joints in my arms,” he said. And Dorothy oiled them and the Scarecrow bent them carefully until they were quite free from rust and as good as new. The Tin Woodman gave a sigh of satisfaction and lowered his axe, which he leaned against the tree. “This is a great comfort,” he said. “I have been holding that axe in the air ever since I rusted, and I’m glad to be able to put it down at last. Now, if you will oil the joints of my legs, I shall be all right once more.” So they oiled his legs until he could move them freely; and he thanked them again and again for his release, for he seemed a very polite creature, and very grateful. “I might have stood there always if you had not come along,” he said; “so you have certainly saved my life. How did you happen to be here?” “We are on our way to the Emerald City to see the Great Oz,” she answered, “and we stopped at your cottage to pass the night.” “Why do you wish to see Oz?” he asked. “I want him to send me back to Kansas, and the Scarecrow wants him to put a few brains into his head,” she replied. The Tin Woodman appeared to think deeply for a moment. Then he said: “Do you suppose Oz could give me a heart?” “Why, I guess so,” Dorothy answered. “It would be as easy as to give the Scarecrow brains.” “True,” the Tin Woodman returned. “So, if you will allow me to join your party, I will also go to the Emerald City and ask Oz to help me.” “Come along,” said the Scarecrow heartily, and Dorothy added that she would be pleased to have his company. So the Tin Woodman shouldered his axe and they all passed through the forest
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 119—7
until they came to the road that was paved with yellow brick. The Tin Woodman had asked Dorothy to put the oil-can in her basket. “For,” he said, “if I should get caught in the rain, and rust again, I would need the oil-can badly.” It was a bit of good luck to have their new comrade join the party, for soon after they had begun their journey again they came to a place where the trees and branches grew so thick over the road that the travelers could not pass. But the Tin Woodman set to work with his axe and chopped so well that soon he cleared a passage for the entire party. Dorothy was thinking so earnestly as they walked along that she did not notice when the Scarecrow stumbled into a hole and rolled over to the side of the road. Indeed he was obliged to call to her to help him up again. “Why didn’t you walk around the hole?” asked the Tin Woodman. “I don’t know enough,” replied the Scarecrow cheerfully. “My head is stuffed with straw, you know, and that is why I am going to Oz to ask him for some brains.” “Oh, I see,” said the Tin Woodman. “But, after all, brains are not the best things in the world.” “Have you any?” inquired the Scarecrow. “No, my head is quite empty,” answered the Woodman. “But once I had brains, and a heart also; so, having tried them both, I should much rather have a heart.” “And why is that?” asked the Scarecrow. “I will tell you my story, and then you will know.” So, while they were walking through the forest, the Tin Woodman told the following story: “I was born the son of a woodman who chopped down trees in the forest and sold the wood for a living. When I grew up, I too became a woodchopper, and after my father died I took care of my old mother as long as she lived. Then I made up my mind that instead of living alone I would marry, so that I might not become lonely. “There was one of the Munchkin girls who was so beautiful that I soon grew to love her with all my heart. She, on her part, promised to marry me as soon as I could earn enough money to build a better house for her; so I set to work harder than ever. But the girl lived with an old woman who did not want her to marry anyone, for she was so lazy she wished the girl to remain with her and do the cooking and the housework. So the old woman went to the Wicked Witch of the East, and promised her two sheep and a cow if she would prevent the marriage. Thereupon the Wicked Witch enchanted my axe, and when I was chopping away at my best one day, for I was anxious to get the new house and my wife as soon as possible, the axe slipped all at once and cut off my left leg.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 119—8
“This at first seemed a great misfortune, for I knew a one-legged man could not do very well as a wood-chopper. So I went to a tinsmith and had him make me a new leg out of tin. The leg worked very well, once I was used to it. But my action angered the Wicked Witch of the East, for she had promised the old woman I should not marry the pretty Munchkin girl. When I began chopping again, my axe slipped and cut off my right leg. Again I went to the tinsmith, and again he made me a leg out of tin. After this the enchanted axe cut off my arms, one after the other; but, nothing daunted, I had them replaced with tin ones. The Wicked Witch then made the axe slip and cut off my head, and at first I thought that was the end of me. But the tinsmith happened to come along, and he made me a new head out of tin. “I thought I had beaten the Wicked Witch then, and I worked harder than ever; but I little knew how cruel my enemy could be. She thought of a new way to kill my love for the beautiful Munchkin maiden, and made my axe slip again, so that it cut right through my body, splitting me into two halves. Once more the tinsmith came to my help and made me a body of tin, fastening my tin arms and legs and head to it, by means of joints, so that I could move around as well as ever. But, alas! I had now no heart, so that I lost all my love for the Munchkin girl, and did not care whether I married her or not. I suppose she is still living with the old woman, waiting for me to come after her. “My body shone so brightly in the sun that I felt very proud of it and it did not matter now if my axe slipped, for it could not cut me. There was only one danger—that my joints would rust; but I kept an oil-can in my cottage and took care to oil myself whenever I needed it. However, there came a day when I forgot to do this, and, being caught in a rainstorm, before I thought of the danger my joints had rusted, and I was left to stand in the woods until you came to help me. It was a terrible thing to undergo, but during the year I stood there I had time to think that the greatest loss I had known was the loss of my heart. While I was in love I was the happiest man on earth; but no one can love who has not a heart, and so I am resolved to ask Oz to give me one. If he does, I will go back to the Munchkin maiden and marry her.” Both Dorothy and the Scarecrow had been greatly interested in the story of the Tin Woodman, and now they knew why he was so anxious to get a new heart. “All the same,” said the Scarecrow, “I shall ask for brains instead of a heart; for a fool would not know what to do with a heart if he had one.” “I shall take the heart,” returned the Tin Woodman; “for brains do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world.” Dorothy did not say anything, for she was puzzled to know which of her two friends was right, and she decided if she could only get back to Kansas and Aunt Em, it did not matter so much whether the Woodman had no brains and the Scarecrow no heart, or each got what he wanted. What worried her most was that the bread was nearly gone, and another meal for herself and Toto would empty the basket. To be sure neither the Woodman nor the Scarecrow ever ate anything, but she was not made of tin nor straw, and could not live unless she was fed.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 120—1
Lesson 120
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Assessment
Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Materials Needed: Writing Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What would you ask the Wizard for? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, he will take the Adjectives Quiz, which will demonstrate his understanding of the previous mini-Lessons. After completing the quiz, the student will continue reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and respond to the corresponding study questions. The lack of snow made the lakes and streams low during the summer months. That boat is made of stronger wood than mine. My prom dress is fancier than your dress. The volcanic explosion was shocking to the entire town. Your graphing calculator will help you see the correct graph of each equation. We went to dinner before attending the rock concert. Our mother remodeled her dining room three times. The birthday cake looks tasty. The rainy afternoon destroyed their plans to go to the fairgrounds. Sue takes a walk every day. Chinese food is my favorite dinner to prepare. We are going to finish planting the flowers in our yard this weekend. Chapter Six Study Questions: What did Dorothy do to the Cowardly Lion in this chapter? Hits him and scolds him for trying to bite her dog. What was the Lion’s problem? He is afraid of everything. What did the Lion want most of all? Courage. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss the Adjective Assessment with the student—in which areas is she confident? In what areas does she need or want improvement?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 120—1
Lesson 120
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective Assessment
What would you ask the Wizard for?
Adjectives Quiz Directions: Underline the adjective(s) in each sentence. Circle the adjective if it could sometimes be used as a noun, if it is a demonstrative pronoun, or is a possessive pronoun used as an adjective. Snow made the lakes and streams low during the summer months.
That boat is made of strong wood.
My dress is fancier than your dress.
Volcanic explosions shocked the entire town.
Calculators can help you with the difficult equations.
We went to a nice dinner before attending the rock concert.
Our mother remodeled her dining room three times.
My birthday cake looks tasty.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 120—2
Rain destroyed their plans to go to the fairgrounds.
Sue takes a walk every day.
Chinese food is my favorite dinner to prepare.
We are going to finish planting the yellow flowers in our yard this weekend.
In the reading assignment for this Lesson, we will meet another new friend that Dorothy makes on her journey to Oz. Begin by reading Chapter Six of the novel silently, and then completing the Chapter Six Study Questions on a separate sheet of paper following your reading completion. Lesson Wrap-Up: How did you feel about the adjective quiz? Discuss with your teacher any part that you found challenging or were not confident about.
Chapter Six Study Questions What did Dorothy do to the Cowardly Lion in this chapter?
What was the Lion’s problem?
What did the Lion want most of all?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 120—3
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 6. The Cowardly Lion All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the thick woods. The road was still paved with yellow brick, but these were much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees, and the walking was not at all good. There were few birds in this part of the forest, for birds love the open country where there is plenty of sunshine. But now and then there came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the trees. These sounds made the little girl’s heart beat fast, for she did not know what made them; but Toto knew, and he walked close to Dorothy’s side, and did not even bark in return. “How long will it be,” the child asked of the Tin Woodman, “before we are out of the forest?” “I cannot tell,” was the answer, “for I have never been to the Emerald City. But my father went there once, when I was a boy, and he said it was a long journey through a dangerous country, although nearer to the city where Oz dwells the country is beautiful. But I am not afraid so long as I have my oil-can, and nothing can hurt the Scarecrow, while you bear upon your forehead the mark of the Good Witch’s kiss, and that will protect you from harm.” “But Toto!” said the girl anxiously. “What will protect him?” “We must protect him ourselves if he is in danger,” replied the Tin Woodman. Just as he spoke there came from the forest a terrible roar,and the next moment a great Lion bounded into the road. With one blow of his paw he sent the Scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge of the road, and then he struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp claws. But, to the Lion’s surprise, he could make no impression on the tin, although the Woodman fell over in the road and lay still. Little Toto, now that he had an enemy to face, ran barking toward the Lion, and the great beast had opened his mouth to bite the dog, when Dorothy, fearing Toto would be killed, and heedless of danger, rushed forward and slapped the Lion upon his nose as hard as she could, while she cried out: “Don’t you dare to bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog!” “I didn’t bite him,” said the Lion, as he rubbed his nose with his paw where Dorothy had hit it. “No, but you tried to,” she retorted. “You are nothing but a big coward.” “I know it,” said the Lion, hanging his head in shame. “I’ve always known it. But how can I help it?” “I don’t know, I’m sure. To think of your striking a stuffed man, like the poor Scarecrow!”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 120—4
“Is he stuffed?” asked the Lion in surprise, as he watched her pick up the Scarecrow and set him upon his feet, while she patted him into shape again. “Of course he’s stuffed,” replied Dorothy, who was still angry. “That’s why he went over so easily,” remarked the Lion. “It astonished me to see him whirl round so. Is the other one stuffed also?” “No,” said Dorothy, “he’s made of tin.” And she helped the Woodman up again. “That’s why he nearly blunted my claws,” said the Lion. “When they scratched against the tin it made a cold shiver run down my back. What is that little animal you are so tender of?” “He is my dog, Toto,” answered Dorothy. “Is he made of tin, or stuffed?” asked the Lion. “Neither. He’s a—a—a meat dog,” said the girl. “Oh! He’s a curious animal and seems remarkably small, now that I look at him. No one would think of biting such a little thing, except a coward like me,” continued the Lion sadly. “What makes you a coward?” asked Dorothy, looking at the great beast in wonder, for he was as big as a small horse. “It’s a mystery,” replied the Lion. “I suppose I was born that way. All the other animals in the forest naturally expect me to be brave, for the Lion is everywhere thought to be the King of Beasts. I learned that if I roared very loudly every living thing was frightened and got out of my way. Whenever I’ve met a man I’ve been awfully scared; but I just roared at him, and he has always run away as fast as he could go. If the elephants and the tigers and the bears had ever tried to fight me, I should have run myself—I’m such a coward; but just as soon as they hear me roar they all try to get away from me, and of course I let them go.” “But that isn’t right. The King of Beasts shouldn’t be a coward,” said the Scarecrow. “I know it,” returned the Lion, wiping a tear from his eye with the tip of his tail. “It is my great sorrow, and makes my life very unhappy. But whenever there is danger, my heart begins to beat fast.” “Perhaps you have heart disease,” said the Tin Woodman. “It may be,” said the Lion. “If you have,” continued the Tin Woodman, “you ought to be glad, for it proves you have a heart. For my part, I have no heart; so I cannot have heart disease.” “Perhaps,” said the Lion thoughtfully, “if I had no heart I should not be a coward.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 120—5
“Have you brains?” asked the Scarecrow. “I suppose so. I’ve never looked to see,” replied the Lion. “I am going to the Great Oz to ask him to give me some,” remarked the Scarecrow, “for my head is stuffed with straw.” “And I am going to ask him to give me a heart,” said the Woodman. “And I am going to ask him to send Toto and me back to Kansas,” added Dorothy. “Do you think Oz could give me courage?” asked the Cowardly Lion. “Just as easily as he could give me brains,” said the Scarecrow. “Or give me a heart,” said the Tin Woodman. “Or send me back to Kansas,” said Dorothy. “Then, if you don’t mind, I’ll go with you,” said the Lion, “for my life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage.” “You will be very welcome,” answered Dorothy, “for you will help to keep away the other wild beasts. It seems to me they must be more cowardly than you are if they allow you to scare them so easily.” “They really are,” said the Lion, “but that doesn’t make me any braver, and as long as I know myself to be a coward I shall be unhappy.” So once more the little company set off upon the journey, the Lion walking with stately strides at Dorothy’s side. Toto did not approve this new comrade at first, for he could not forget how nearly he had been crushed between the Lion’s great jaws. But after a time he became more at ease, and presently Toto and the Cowardly Lion had grown to be good friends. During the rest of that day there was no other adventure to mar the peace of their journey. Once, indeed, the Tin Woodman stepped upon a beetle that was crawling along the road, and killed the poor little thing. This made the Tin Woodman very unhappy, for he was always careful not to hurt any living creature; and as he walked along he wept several tears of sorrow and regret. These tears ran slowly down his face and over the hinges of his jaw, and there they rusted. When Dorothy presently asked him a question the Tin Woodman could not open his mouth, for his jaws were tightly rusted together. He became greatly frightened at this and made many motions to Dorothy to relieve him, but she could not understand. The Lion was also puzzled to know what was wrong. But the Scarecrow seized the oil-can from Dorothy’s basket and oiled the Woodman’s jaws, so that after a few moments he could talk as well as before. “This will serve me a Lesson,” said he, “to look where I step. For if I should kill another bug or
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 120—6
beetle I should surely cry again, and crying rusts my jaws so that I cannot speak.” Thereafter he walked very carefully, with his eyes on the road, and when he saw a tiny ant toiling by he would step over it, so as not to harm it. The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything. “You people with hearts,” he said, “have something to guide you, and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very careful. When Oz gives me a heart of course I needn’t mind so much.”
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—1
Lesson 121
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Mini-Lesson
Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adverbs correctly in writing. Key Vocabulary: Inconvenient, Inquire, Adverb Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Have you ever heard the advice “Face your fears!”? What do you suppose it means? Do you think it is good advice? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, begin the Lesson with a mini-Lesson teaching appropriate adverb usage in writing. She will be given the opportunity to demonstrate her understanding of this Mini-Lesson with an Adverb Practice activity. The student will then continue reading the next chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and respond to the Study Questions that correspond with the chapter. Adverbs Practice Answer Key: Kindly, how? Early, when? Slowly, how? Finally, when? Very, to what extent? Often, when? Carefully, how? Well, how? High, where? Gently, how? Chapter Seven Study Questions Answer Key: As Dorothy and the others continued on their journey, what did they meet? A very wide and deep ditch of water with jagged rocks. How did they overcome this problem? The lion jumped across with each one on his back.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—2
What are the Kalidahs? Beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers. When the travelers were attacked by the Kalidahs, how did they get away? They cut the end of the tree near their side so that the Kalidahs could not cross over. Were there other obstacles or problems that Dorothy and her new friends encountered on their journey? If so, what were these obstacles? They can see a river up ahead and they are building a raft so they can cross it. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student if he sees anything in the story that would indicate that the characters have found what they are looking for?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—1
Lesson 121
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Mini-Lesson
Have you ever heard the advice “Face your fears!”? What do you suppose it means? Do you think it is good advice? We will begin a small language arts unit on adverbs and learn their correct usage in the English language. To begin, we will define an adverb as a word that modifies or describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Just like adjectives, adverbs are easily found in sentences by asking several questions in relation to the verb, adjective, or adverb they are modifying: How? When? Where? To what extent? It is also very common to see an adverb end in the suffix “ly”. This would occur when an adjective has been changed into an adverb. Examine the example sentences below which show several different adverbs. Example: I politely apologized for my tardiness to class. In this example sentence, “politely” is an adverb modifying the verb “apologized.” It answers the question how did I apologize? Example: We will go to the park soon. In this example sentence, “soon” is an adverb (even though it does not end in “ly” – not all adverbs do.) “Soon” modifies the verb “go” answering the question when will we go? Example: The road will cross a large mountain just ahead. In this example sentence, “ahead” is the adverb modifying the verb “cross.” It answers the question where will the road cross? Example: She completely cleaned her bedroom. In this final example sentence, “completely” is the adverb modifying the verb “cleaned.” It answers the question to what extent did she clean her bedroom? You should be able to ask the four questions discussed in this Mini-Lesson when examining a sentence to uncover the adverb or adverbs used in the sentence. Complete the “Adverbs Practice” to try these skills.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—2
Adverbs Practice Directions: In each sentence, underline the adverb(s) and tell what question each adverb answers in relation to the verb, adjective, or adverb it modifies. 1. Mary kindly shared her dessert with her sister Katie.
2. Rita woke up early to go to school today.
3. I walked down to the park slowly because I was tired.
4. Finally, Gary showed up to the party an hour late.
5. The new baby was very curious at his surroundings.
6. We often stop for ice cream on the way home from school.
7. The lion at the zoo stared carefully at the children.
8. Sam studied well for three hours each day after school.
9. The ball landed high up on the roof.
10. My mother gently comforted me after my pet goldfish died.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—3
In this Lesson, we will be reading the chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz entitled “The Journey to the Great Oz.” In the last Lesson we met the Cowardly Lion whose problem was that he is afraid of everything he meets—he lacks courage. You should read Chapter Seven of the novel silently and then answer the Study Questions for Chapter Seven on a separate sheet of lined paper. Lesson Wrap-Up: Do you see anything in the story that would indicate that the characters have found what they are looking for?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—4
Chapter Seven Study Questions As Dorothy and the others continued on their journey, what did they meet?
How did they overcome this problem?
What are the Kalidahs?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—5
When the travelers were attacked by the Kalidahs, how did they get away?
Were there other obstacles or problems that Dorothy and her new friends encountered on their journey? If so, what were these obstacles?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—6
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 7. The Journey to the Great Oz They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in the forest, for there were no houses near. The tree made a good, thick covering to protect them from the dew, and the Tin Woodman chopped a great pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire that warmed her and made her feel less lonely. She and Toto ate the last of their bread, and now she did not know what they would do for breakfast. “If you wish,” said the Lion, “I will go into the forest and kill a deer for you. You can roast it by the fire, since your tastes are so peculiar that you prefer cooked food, and then you will have a very good breakfast.” “Don’t! Please don’t,” begged the Tin Woodman. “I should certainly weep if you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws would rust again.” The Wonderful Wizard of Oz But the Lion went away into the forest and found his own supper, and no one ever knew what it was, for he didn’t mention it. And the Scarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy’s basket with them, so that she would not be hungry for a long time. She thought this was very kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow, but she laughed heartily at the awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. His padded hands were so clumsy and the nuts were so small that he dropped almost as many as he put in the basket. But the Scarecrow did not mind how long it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keep away from the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn him up. So he kept a good distance away from the flames, and only came near to cover Dorothy with dry leaves when she lay down to sleep. These kept her very snug and warm, and she slept soundly until morning. When it was daylight, the girl bathed her face in a little rippling brook, and soon after they all started toward the Emerald City. This was to be an eventful day for the travelers. They had hardly been walking an hour when they saw before them a great ditch that crossed the road and divided the forest as far as they could see on either side. It was a very wide ditch, and when they crept up to the edge and looked into it they could see it was also very deep, and there were many big, jagged rocks at the bottom. The sides were so steep that none of them could climb down, and for a moment it seemed that their journey must end. “What shall we do?” asked Dorothy despairingly. “I haven’t the faintest idea,” said the Tin Woodman, and the Lion shook his shaggy mane and looked thoughtful. But the Scarecrow said, “We cannot fly, that is certain. Neither can we climb down into this great ditch. Therefore, if we cannot jump over it, we must stop where we are.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—7
“I think I could jump over it,” said the Cowardly Lion, after measuring the distance carefully in his mind. “Then we are all right,” answered the Scarecrow, “for you can carry us all over on your back, one at a time.” “Well, I’ll try it,” said the Lion. “Who will go first?” “I will,” declared the Scarecrow, “for, if you found that you could not jump over the gulf, Dorothy would be killed, or the Tin Woodman badly dented on the rocks below. But if I am on your back it will not matter so much, for the fall would not hurt me at all.” “I am terribly afraid of falling, myself,” said the Cowardly Lion, “but I suppose there is nothing to do but try it. So get on my back and we will make the attempt.” The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion’s back, and the big beast walked to the edge of the gulf and crouched down. “Why don’t you run and jump?” asked the Scarecrow. “Because that isn’t the way we Lions do these things,” he replied. Then giving a great spring, he shot through the air and landed safely on the other side. They were all greatly pleased to see how easily he did it, and after the Scarecrow had got down from his back the Lion sprang across the ditch again. Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took Toto in her arms and climbed on the Lion’s back, holding tightly to his mane with one hand. The next moment it seemed as if she were flying through the air; and then, before she had time to think about it, she was safe on the other side. The Lion went back a third time and got the Tin Woodman, and then they all sat down for a few moments to give the beast a chance to rest, for his great leaps had made his breath short, and he panted like a big dog that has been running too long. They found the forest very thick on this side, and it looked dark and gloomy. After the Lion had rested they started along the road of yellow brick, silently wondering, each in his own mind, if ever they would come to the end of the woods and reach the bright sunshine again. To add to their discomfort, they soon heard strange noises in the depths of the forest, and the Lion whispered to them that it was in this part of the country that the Kalidahs lived. “What are the Kalidahs?” asked the girl. “They are monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers,” replied the Lion, “and with claws so long and sharp that they could tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto. I’m terribly afraid of the Kalidahs. “ “I’m not surprised that you are,” returned Dorothy. “They must be dreadful beasts.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—8
The Lion was about to reply when suddenly they came to another gulf across the road. But this one was so broad and deep that the Lion knew at once he could not leap across it. So they sat down to consider what they should do, and after serious thought the Scarecrow said: “Here is a great tree, standing close to the ditch. If the Tin Woodman can chop it down, so that it will fall to the other side, we can walk across it easily.” “That is a first-rate idea,” said the Lion. “One would almost suspect you had brains in your head, instead of straw.” The Woodman set to work at once, and so sharp was his axe that the tree was soon chopped nearly through. Then the Lion put his strong front legs against the tree and pushed with all his might, and slowly the big tree tipped and fell with a crash across the ditch, with its top branches on the other side. They had just started to cross this [odd] bridge when a sharp growl made them all look up, and to their horror they saw running toward them two great beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers. “They are the Kalidahs!” said the Cowardly Lion, beginning to tremble. “Quick!” cried the Scarecrow. “Let us cross over.” So Dorothy went first, holding Toto in her arms, the Tin Woodman followed, and the Scarecrow came next. The Lion, although he was certainly afraid, turned to face the Kalidahs, and then he gave so loud and terrible a roar that Dorothy screamed and the Scarecrow fell over backward, while even the fierce beasts stopped short and looked at him in surprise. But, seeing they were bigger than the Lion, and remembering that there were two of them and only one of him, the Kalidahs again rushed forward, and the Lion crossed over the tree and turned to see what they would do next. Without stopping an instant the fierce beasts also began to cross the tree. And the Lion said to Dorothy: “We are lost, for they will surely tear us to pieces with their sharp claws. But stand close behind me, and I will fight them as long as I am alive.” “Wait a minute!” called the Scarecrow. He had been thinking what was best to be done, and now he asked the Woodman to chop away the end of the tree that rested on their side of the ditch. The Tin Woodman began to use his axe at once, and, just as the two Kalidahs were nearly across, the tree fell with a crash into the gulf, carrying the ugly, snarling brutes with it, and both were dashed to pieces on the sharp rocks at the bottom. “Well,” said the Cowardly Lion, drawing a long breath of relief, “I see we are going to live a little while longer, and I am glad of it, for it must be a very uncomfortable thing not to be alive. Those creatures frightened me so badly that my heart is beating yet.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 121—9
“Ah,” said the Tin Woodman sadly, “I wish I had a heart to beat.” This adventure made the travelers more anxious than ever to get out of the forest, and they walked so fast that Dorothy became tired, and had to ride on the Lion’s back. To their great joy the trees became thinner the farther they advanced, and in the afternoon they suddenly came upon a broad river, flowing swiftly just before them. On the other side of the water they could see the road of yellow brick running through a beautiful country, with green meadows dotted with bright flowers and all the road bordered with trees hanging full of delicious fruits. They were greatly pleased to see this delightful country before them. “How shall we cross the river?” asked Dorothy. “That is easily done,” replied the Scarecrow. “The Tin Woodman must build us a raft, so we can float to the other side.” So the Woodman took his axe and began to chop down small trees to make a raft, and while he was busy at this the Scarecrow found on the riverbank a tree full of fine fruit. This pleased Dorothy, who had eaten nothing but nuts all day, and she made a hearty meal of the ripe fruit. But it takes time to make a raft, even when one is as industrious and untiring as the Tin Woodman, and when night came the work was not done. So they found a cozy place under the trees where they slept well until the morning; and Dorothy dreamed of the Emerald City, and of the good Wizard Oz, who would soon send her back to her own home again.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 122—1
Lesson 122
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Mini-Lesson
Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adverbs correctly in writing. Key Vocabulary: Murmur, Sober Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Dorothy and her friends are all very different but yet they become friends. How do people with different personalities and interests become and remain friends? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, begin the Lesson with a Mini-Lesson teaching appropriate adverb usage in writing. She will be given the opportunity to demonstrate her understanding of this Mini-Lesson with an Adverb Practice activity. The student will then continue reading the next chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and respond to the Study Questions that correspond with the chapter. Comparative vs. Superlative Adverbs Answer Key: Most lovely, S Longer, C Tallest, S Slower, C More, C Most graceful, S Largest, S Easier, C Smallest, S Braver, C.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 122—2
Chapter Eight Study Questions Answer Key: Describe the events of this chapter and what happened to each of the travelers. The characters build a raft to cross the river, but the Scarecrow is swept away. He is rescued by a stork that carries him back to his friends. The characters then reach a poppy field where Dorothy and the Lion fall into a heavy sleep. The Tin Woodsman and the Scarecrow are strong enough to carry Dorothy but not the Lion so they must leave him. How was the Scarecrow rescued? The scarecrow is rescued by a stork that carried him across the river. What happened to Dorothy and the Lion in this chapter and how did they overcome these problems? The fell asleep because of all the Poppies. Dorthoy was carried out of the field but the Lion was too heavy to be carried. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student describe his favorite character so far in a brief paragraph explaining what makes him or her just that. Pay special attention to the use of adverbs.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 122—1
Lesson 122
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Mini-Lesson
Dorothy and her friends are all very different but yet they become friends. How do people with different personalities and interests become and remain friends? In this Lesson, you will continue to study adverb usage in a Mini-Lesson explaining the difference between the comparative and superlative forms of an adverb. The comparative form of an adverb is used when a comparison is being made between a person or thing with another person or thing. When the comparative form of an adverb is used, you may often see the suffix “er” used at the end of a word, or the word “more” prior to the adverb. Examine the following example sentences illuminating this form. Example: Sally is taller than Sue. Example: The baseball was thrown farther than the softball. Example: She is acting more calmly in the storm than her sister. In the superlative form of an adverb, a comparison is being made between someone or something and more than one person or thing. The superlative form is often easily found by looking for the suffix “est” added to the end of a word, or the word “most” placed before the adverb. Examine the sentences below for examples of this form of adverb. Example: Patty is the smallest of all the children. Example: She believes her dress is the most beautiful at the ball. Example: I think Science is the most difficult subject in high school. You should complete the “Comparative vs. Superlative Adverbs” activity for practice discerning the difference between the two forms. As you continue to read through L. Frank Baum’s novel, think about the engaging question. How do people who are so different from each other become and remain friends? Have you ever had a friend with whom you did not have a lot in common? How did you become friends in the first place? Continue reading through the novel in Lesson 112 by reading Chapter Eight and answering the Study Questions corresponding to this chapter on a separate sheet of paper when you are finished with the reading. Lesson Wrap-Up: Who is your favorite character so far? Write a brief paragraph about your favorite and what makes him or her just that.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 122—2
Comparative vs. Superlative Adverbs Directions: In each sentence, underline the adverb(s) and indicate whether the adverb is in the comparative form with a C or the superlative form with an S. ________1. She makes the most lovely bride I have ever seen.
________2. Those cookies take longer to bake than the brownies.
________3. Sam is the tallest of all the children in his family.
________4. I walk slower than my daughter when we are going to the park.
________5. Scuba diving is more dangerous than snorkeling.
________6. Gail is the most graceful of all the dancers in her class.
________7. That package for me is the largest present underneath the Christmas tree.
________8. English is easier than Math.
________9. Amy’s pet turtle is the smallest turtle I have ever seen.
________10. When we went swimming at the lake, I was braver than my friend Sue.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 122—3
Chapter Eight Study Questions Describe the events of this chapter and what happened to each of the travelers. How was the Scarecrow rescued?
What happened to Dorothy and the Lion in this chapter and how did they overcome these problems?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 122—4
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 8. The Deadly Poppy Field Our little party of travelers awakened the next morning refreshed and full of hope, and Dorothy breakfasted like a princess off peaches and plums from the trees beside the river. Behind them was the dark forest they had passed safely through, although they had suffered many discouragements; but before them was a lovely, sunny country that seemed to beckon them on to the Emerald City. To be sure, the broad river now cut them off from this beautiful land. But the raft was nearly done, and after the Tin Woodman had cut a few more logs and fastened them together with wooden pins, they were ready to start. Dorothy sat down in the middle of the raft and held Toto in her arms. When the Cowardly Lion stepped upon the raft it tipped badly, for he was big and heavy; but the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood upon the other end to steady it, and they had long poles in their hands to push the raft through the water. They got along quite well at first, but when they reached the middle of the river the swift current swept the raft downstream, farther and farther away from the road of yellow brick. And the water grew so deep that the long poles would not touch the bottom. “This is bad,” said the Tin Woodman, “for if we cannot get to the land we shall be carried into the country of the Wicked Witch of the West, and she will enchant us and make us her slaves.” “And then I should get no brains,” said the Scarecrow. “And I should get no courage,” said the Cowardly Lion “And I should get no heart,” said the Tin Woodman. “And I should never get back to Kansas,” said Dorothy. “We must certainly get to the Emerald City if we can,” the Scarecrow continued, and he pushed so hard on his long pole that it stuck fast in the mud at the bottom of the river. Then, before he could pull it out again—or let go—the raft was swept away, and the poor Scarecrow left clinging to the pole in the middle of the river. “Good-bye!” he called after them, and they were very sorry to leave him. Indeed, the Tin Woodman began to cry, but fortunately remembered that he might rust, and so dried his tears on Dorothy’s apron. Of course this was a bad thing for the Scarecrow. “I am now worse off than when I first met Dorothy,” he thought. “Then, I was stuck on a pole in a cornfield, where I could make-believe scare the crows, at any rate. But surely there is no use for a Scarecrow stuck on a pole in the middle of a river. I am afraid I shall never have any brains, after all!”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 122—5
Down the stream the raft floated, and the poor Scarecrow was left far behind. Then the Lion said: “Something must be done to save us. I think I can swim to the shore and pull the raft after me, if you will only hold fast to the tip of my tail.” So he sprang into the water, and the Tin Woodman caught fast hold of his tail. Then the Lion began to swim with all his might toward the shore. It was hard work, although he was so big; but by and by they were drawn out of the current, and then Dorothy took the Tin Woodman’s long pole and helped push the raft to the land. They were all tired out when they reached the shore at last and stepped off upon the pretty green grass, and they also knew that the stream had carried them a long way past the road of yellow brick that led to the Emerald City. “What shall we do now?” asked the Tin Woodman, as the Lion lay down on the grass to let the sun dry him. “We must get back to the road, in some way,” said Dorothy. “The best plan will be to walk along the riverbank until we come to the road again,” remarked the Lion. So, when they were rested, Dorothy picked up her basket and they started along the grassy bank, to the road from which the river had carried them. It was a lovely country, with plenty of flowers and fruit trees and sunshine to cheer them, and had they not felt so sorry for the poor Scarecrow, they could have been very happy. They walked along as fast as they could, Dorothy only stopping once to pick a beautiful flower; and after a time the Tin Woodman cried out: “Look!” Then they all looked at the river and saw the Scarecrow perched upon his pole in the middle of the water, looking very lonely and sad. “What can we do to save him?” asked Dorothy. The Lion and the Woodman both shook their heads, for they did not know. So they sat down upon the bank and gazed wistfully at the Scarecrow until a Stork flew by, who, upon seeing them, stopped to rest at the water’s edge. “Who are you and where are you going?” asked the Stork. “I am Dorothy,” answered the girl, “and these are my friends, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion; and we are going to the Emerald City.” “This isn’t the road,” said the Stork, as she twisted her long neck and looked sharply at the [odd] party. “I know it,” returned Dorothy, “but we have lost the Scarecrow, and are wondering how we shall
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 122—6
get him again.” “Where is he?” asked the Stork. “Over there in the river,” answered the little girl. “If he wasn’t so big and heavy I would get him for you,” remarked the Stork. “He isn’t heavy a bit,” said Dorothy eagerly, “for he is stuffed with straw; and if you will bring him back to us, we shall thank you ever and ever so much.” “Well, I’ll try,” said the Stork, “but if I find he is too heavy to carry I shall have to drop him in the river again.” So the big bird flew into the air and over the water till she came to where the Scarecrow was perched upon his pole. Then the Stork with her great claws grabbed the Scarecrow by the arm and carried him up into the air and back to the bank, where Dorothy and the Lion and the Tin Woodman and Toto were sitting. When the Scarecrow found himself among his friends again, he was so happy that he hugged them all, even the Lion and Toto; and as they walked along he sang “Tol-de-ri-de-oh!” at every step, he felt so [cheerful]. “I was afraid I should have to stay in the river forever,” he said, “but the kind Stork saved me, and if I ever get any brains I shall find the Stork again and do her some kindness in return.” “That’s all right,” said the Stork, who was flying along beside them. “I always like to help anyone in trouble. But I must go now, for my babies are waiting in the nest for me. I hope you will find the Emerald City and that Oz will help you.” “Thank you,” replied Dorothy, and then the kind Stork flew into the air and was soon out of sight. They walked along listening to the singing of the brightly colored birds and looking at the lovely flowers which now became so thick that the ground was carpeted with them. There were big yellow and white and blue and purple blossoms, besides great clusters of scarlet poppies, which were so brilliant in color they almost dazzled Dorothy’s eyes. “Aren’t they beautiful?” the girl asked, as she breathed in the spicy scent of the bright flowers. “I suppose so,” answered the Scarecrow. “When I have brains, I shall probably like them better.” “If I only had a heart, I should love them,” added the Tin Woodman. “I always did like flowers,” said the Lion. “They of seem so helpless and frail. But there are none in the forest so bright as these.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 122—7
They now came upon more and more of the big scarlet poppies, and fewer and fewer of the other flowers; and soon they found themselves in the midst of a great meadow of poppies. Now it is well known that when there are many of these flowers together their odor is so powerful that anyone who breathes it falls asleep, and if the sleeper is not carried away from the scent of the flowers, he sleeps on and on forever. But Dorothy did not know this, nor could she get away from the bright red flowers that were everywhere about; so presently her eyes grew heavy and she felt she must sit down to rest and to sleep. But the Tin Woodman would not let her do this. “We must hurry and get back to the road of yellow brick before dark,” he said; and the Scarecrow agreed with him. So they kept walking until Dorothy could stand no longer. Her eyes closed in spite of herself and she forgot where she was and fell among the poppies, fast asleep. “What shall we do?” asked the Tin Woodman. “If we leave her here she will die,” said the Lion. “The smell of the flowers is killing us all. I myself can scarcely keep my eyes open, and the dog is asleep already.” It was true; Toto had fallen down beside his little mistress. But the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, not being made of flesh, were not troubled by the scent of the flowers. “Run fast,” said the Scarecrow to the Lion, “and get out of this deadly flower bed as soon as you can. We will bring the little girl with us, but if you should fall asleep you are too big to be carried.” So the Lion aroused himself and bounded forward as fast as he could go. In a moment he was out of sight. “Let us make a chair with our hands and carry her,” said the Scarecrow. So they picked up Toto and put the dog in Dorothy’s lap, and then they made a chair with their hands for the seat and their arms for the arms and carried the sleeping girl between them through the flowers. On and on they walked, and it seemed that the great carpet of deadly flowers that surrounded them would never end. They followed the bend of the river, and at last came upon their friend the Lion, lying fast asleep among the poppies. The flowers had been too strong for the huge beast and he had given up at last, and fallen only a short distance from the end of the poppy bed, where the sweet grass spread in beautiful green fields before them. “We can do nothing for him,” said the Tin Woodman, sadly; “for he is much too heavy to lift. We must leave him here to sleep on forever, and perhaps he will dream that he has found courage at last.” “I’m sorry,” said the Scarecrow. “The Lion was a very good comrade for one so cowardly. But let us go on.” They carried the sleeping girl to a pretty spot beside the river, far enough from the poppy field to prevent her breathing any more of the poison of the flowers, and here they laid her gently on the soft grass and waited for the fresh breeze to waken her.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—1
Lesson 123
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Mini-Lesson
Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adverbs correctly in writing. Key Vocabulary: Briskly. Abundant Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Have you ever saved someone from a dangerous situation? If not, have you ever helped someone be brave when they did not think they could be? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the engaging question, begin the Lesson with a Mini-Lesson teaching appropriate adverb usage in writing. She will be given the opportunity to demonstrate her understanding of this Mini-Lesson with an Adverb Practice activity. The student will then continue reading the next chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and respond to the Study Questions that correspond with the chapter. Special Cases of Adverbs Answer Key: Less Best Deadliest Smartest More Best Most beautiful Less More Best Chapter Nine Study Questions Answer Key: What happened to the Queen of the field mice in this chapter? She was being chased by a wildcat, but the Tin Man saved her. How did the Queen respond after she was saved? She offered any kind of help or repayment for being saved.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—2
Chapter Ten Study Questions Answer Key: What happened to the Lion in this chapter? It takes some time for him to wake up but he does so eventually. Where and with whom did Dorothy and her friends stay? At a farm house with a women, her husband and two children. What was the description of the Wizard that the travelers heard from the man? The man says that no one has even seen the Wizard. He also tells them that the Wizard can take on any form he wishes such as a bird, elephant, cat, fairy or brownie. Describe the Guardian of the Gate. A little man about the size of the munchkins, clothed head to toe in green and with greenish colored skin. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student draw a picture of what she thinks the Emerald City looks like. When the drawing is done, try applying descriptive modifiers (adjectives and adverbs) to the features of the drawing.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—1
Lesson 123
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Mini-Lesson
Have you ever saved someone from a dangerous situation? If not, have you ever helped someone be brave when they did not think they could be? In the last Lesson you learned that there are two major forms of adverbs: comparative, which compares a person or thing to another person or thing, and superlative, which compares someone or something to more than one person or thing. When working with the comparative and superlative forms of adverbs, there are a few special cases you must learn. These two special cases will be discussed in this Mini-Lesson. The first special case of comparative and superlative adverbs deals with adverbs that have three or more syllables, such as “wonderful,” “beautiful,” and “cautiously.” In this case, you should use the word “more” prior to the adverb if you are using the comparative form, and the word “most” prior to the adverb if you are using the superlative form. See the sentences below for this clarification. Example: That lilac is more beautiful than the lily. Example: I am more cautious than my sister. Example: He is the most wonderful boyfriend I have ever had. The second special case deals with words that don’t need a suffix added to the end, or do not need “more” or “most” added before the adverb. These adverbs are formed from completely different words—the words “well,” “much,” and “little” are the most common. The comparative form of “well” is “better”. The superlative form of “well” is “best”. The comparative form of “much” is “more.” The superlative form of “much” is “most.” The comparative form of “little” is “less.” The superlative form of “little” is “least.” It is important to properly use these forms in writing to make your comparisons clearly stated to your reader. You should practice following these two special cases discussed in this Lesson by completing the “Special Cases of Adverbs” practice sheet. Now you will continue reading of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, through Chapters Nine and Ten. When you have completed your reading, be sure to answer the Study Questions reviewing what you have read in each of these chapters. Lesson Wrap-Up: Draw a picture of what you think the Emerald City looks like.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—2
Special Cases of Adverbs Directions: In each of the following sentences, underline the correct form of the adverb which should be used. 1. Sally was (less, least) scared than Frank during the storm.
2. Corn grows (better, best) of all the crops we plant each spring.
3. The tornado was the (deadliest, most deadly) of any that have ever hit our state.
4. Erica is the (smartest, most smart) student in her class.
5. I eat (more, most) vegetables than fruit each day.
6. I work (better, best) as a team with my brother.
7. Hawaii is the (most beautiful, more beautiful) of all the United States.
8. Yesterday she worked (less, least) than the day before.
9. I can put together a casserole (more, most) quickly than a cake.
10. You were the (better, best) singer of all in the competition.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—3
Chapter Nine Study Questions What happened to the Queen of the field mice in this chapter?
How did the Queen respond after she was saved?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—4
Chapter Ten Study Questions What happened to the Lion in this chapter?
Where and with whom did Dorothy and her friends stay?
What was the description of the Wizard that the travelers heard from the man?
Describe the Guardian of the Gate.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—5
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 9. The Queen of the Field Mice “We cannot be far from the road of yellow brick, now,” remarked the Scarecrow, as he stood beside the girl, “for we have come nearly as far as the river carried us away.” The Tin Woodman was about to reply when he heard a low growl, and turning his head (which worked beautifully on hinges) he saw a strange beast come bounding over the grass toward them. It was, indeed, a great yellow Wildcat, and the Woodman thought it must be chasing something, for its ears were lying close to its head and its mouth was wide open, showing two rows of ugly teeth, while its red eyes glowed like balls of fire. As it came nearer the Tin Woodman saw that running before the beast was a little gray field mouse, and although he had no heart he knew it was wrong for the Wildcat to try to kill such a pretty, harmless creature. So the Woodman raised his axe, and as the Wildcat ran by he gave it a quick blow that cut the beast’s head clean off from its body, and it rolled over at his feet in two pieces. The field mouse, now that it was freed from its enemy, stopped short; and coming slowly up to the Woodman it said, in a squeaky little voice: “Oh, thank you! Thank you ever so much for saving my life.” “Don’t speak of it, I beg of you,” replied the Woodman. “I have no heart, you know, so I am careful to help all those who may need a friend, even if it happens to be only a mouse.” “Only a mouse!” cried the little animal, indignantly. “Why, I am a Queen—the Queen of all the Field Mice!” “Oh, indeed,” said the Woodman, making a bow. “Therefore you have done a great deed, as well as a brave one, in saving my life,” added the Queen. At that moment several mice were seen running up as fast as their little legs could carry them, and when they saw their Queen they exclaimed: “Oh, your Majesty, we thought you would be killed! How did you manage to escape the great Wildcat?” They all bowed so low to the little Queen that they almost stood upon their heads. “This funny tin man,” she answered, “killed the Wildcat and saved my life. So hereafter you must all serve him, and obey his slightest wish.” “We will!” cried all the mice, in a shrill chorus. And then they scampered in all directions, for Toto had awakened from his sleep, and seeing all these mice around him he gave one bark of delight and jumped right into the middle of the group. Toto had always loved to chase mice when he lived in Kansas, and he saw no harm in it.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—6
But the Tin Woodman caught the dog in his arms and held him tight, while he called to the mice, “Come back! Come back! Toto shall not hurt you.” At this the Queen of the Mice stuck her head out from underneath a clump of grass and asked, in a timid voice, “Are you sure he will not bite us?” “I will not let him,” said the Woodman; “so do not be afraid.” One by one the mice came creeping back, and Toto did not bark again, although he tried to get out of the Woodman’s arms, and would have bitten him had he not known very well he was made of tin. Finally one of the biggest mice spoke. “Is there anything we can do,” it asked, “to repay you for saving the life of our Queen?” “Nothing that I know of,” answered the Woodman; but the Scarecrow, who had been trying to think, but could not because his head was stuffed with straw, said, quickly, “Oh, yes; you can save our friend, the Cowardly Lion, who is asleep in the poppy bed.” “A Lion!” cried the little Queen. “Why, he would eat us all up.” “Oh, no,” declared the Scarecrow; “this Lion is a coward.” “Really?” asked the Mouse. “He says so himself,” answered the Scarecrow, “and he would never hurt anyone who is our friend. If you will help us to save him I promise that he shall treat you all with kindness.” “Very well,” said the Queen, “we trust you. But what shall we do?” “Are there many of these mice which call you Queen and are willing to obey you?” “Oh, yes; there are thousands,” she replied. “Then send for them all to come here as soon as possible, and let each one bring a long piece of string.” The Queen turned to the mice that attended her and told them to go at once and get all her people. As soon as they heard her orders they ran away in every direction as fast as possible. “Now,” said the Scarecrow to the Tin Woodman, “you must go to those trees by the riverside and make a truck that will carry the Lion.” So the Woodman went at once to the trees and began to work; and he soon made a truck out of the limbs of trees, from which he chopped away all the leaves and branches. He fastened it together with wooden pegs and made the four wheels out of short pieces of a big tree trunk. So fast and so well did he work that by the time the mice began to arrive the truck was all ready for them.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—7
They came from all directions, and there were thousands of them: big mice and little mice and middle-sized mice; and each one brought a piece of string in his mouth. It was about this time that Dorothy woke from her long sleep and opened her eyes. She was greatly astonished to find herself lying upon the grass, with thousands of mice standing around and looking at her timidly. But the Scarecrow told her about everything, and turning to the dignified little Mouse, he said: “Permit me to introduce to you her Majesty, the Queen.” Dorothy nodded gravely and the Queen made a curtsy, after which she became quite friendly with the little girl. The Scarecrow and the Woodman now began to fasten the mice to the truck, using the strings they had brought. One end of a string was tied around the neck of each mouse and the other end to the truck. Of course the truck was a thousand times bigger than any of the mice who were to draw it; but when all the mice had been harnessed, they were able to pull it quite easily. Even the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman could sit on it, and were drawn swiftly by their [peculiar] little horses to the place where the Lion lay asleep. After a great deal of hard work, for the Lion was heavy, they managed to get him up on the truck. Then the Queen hurriedly gave her people the order to start, for she feared if the mice stayed among the poppies too long they also would fall asleep. At first the little creatures, many though they were, could hardly stir the heavily loaded truck; but the Woodman and the Scarecrow both pushed from behind, and they got along better. Soon they rolled the Lion out of the poppy bed to the green fields, where he could breathe the sweet, fresh air again, instead of the poisonous scent of the flowers. Dorothy came to meet them and thanked the little mice warmly for saving her companion from death. She had grown so fond of the big Lion she was glad he had been rescued. Then the mice were unharnessed from the truck and scampered away through the grass to their homes. The Queen of the Mice was the last to leave. “If ever you need us again,” she said, “come out into the field and call, and we shall hear you and come to your assistance. Good-bye!” “Good-bye!” they all answered, and away the Queen ran, while Dorothy held Toto tightly lest he should run after her and frighten her. After this they sat down beside the Lion until he should awaken; and the Scarecrow brought Dorothy some fruit from a tree nearby, which she ate for her dinner. 10. The Guardian of the Gate It was some time before the Cowardly Lion awakened, for he had lain among the poppies a long while, breathing in their deadly fragrance; but when he did open his eyes and roll off the truck he was very glad to find himself still alive.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—8
“I ran as fast as I could,” he said, sitting down and yawning, “but the flowers were too strong for me. How did you get me out?” Then they told him of the field mice, and how they had generously saved him from death; and the Cowardly Lion laughed, and said: “I have always thought myself very big and terrible; yet such little things as flowers came near to killing me, and such small animals as mice have saved my life. How strange it all is! But, comrades, what shall we do now?” “We must journey on until we find the road of yellow brick again,” said Dorothy, “and then we can keep on to the Emerald City.” So, the Lion being fully refreshed, and feeling quite himself again, they all started upon the journey, greatly enjoying the walk through the soft, fresh grass; and it was not long before they reached the road of yellow brick and turned again toward the Emerald City where the Great Oz dwelt. The road was smooth and well paved, now, and the country about was beautiful, so that the travelers rejoiced in leaving the forest far behind, and with it the many dangers they had met in its gloomy shades. Once more they could see fences built beside the road; but these were painted green, and when they came to a small house, in which a farmer evidently lived, that also was painted green. They passed by several of these houses during the afternoon, and sometimes people came to the doors and looked at them as if they would like to ask questions; but no one came near them nor spoke to them because of the great Lion, of which they were very much afraid. The people were all dressed in clothing of a lovely emerald-green color and wore peaked hats like those of the Munchkins. “This must be the Land of Oz,” said Dorothy, “and we are surely getting near the Emerald City.” “Yes,” answered the Scarecrow. “Everything is green here, while in the country of the Munchkins blue was the favorite color. But the people do not seem to be as friendly as the Munchkins, and I’m afraid we shall be unable to find a place to pass the night.” “I should like something to eat besides fruit,” said the girl, “and I’m sure Toto is nearly starved. Let us stop at the next house and talk to the people.” So, when they came to a good-sized farmhouse, Dorothy walked boldly up to the door and knocked. A woman opened it just far enough to look out, and said, “What do you want, child, and why is that great Lion with you?” “We wish to pass the night with you, if you will allow us,” answered Dorothy; “and the Lion is my friend and comrade, and would not hurt you for the world.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—9
“Is he tame?” asked the woman, opening the door a little wider. “Oh, yes,” said the girl, “and he is a great coward, too. He will be more afraid of you than you are of him.” “Well,” said the woman, after thinking it over and taking another peep at the Lion, “if that is the case you may come in, and I will give you some supper and a place to sleep.” So they all entered the house, where there were, besides the woman, two children and a man. The man had hurt his leg, and was lying on the couch in a corner. They seemed greatly surprised to see so strange a company, and while the woman was busy laying the table the man asked: “Where are you all going?” “To the Emerald City,” said Dorothy, “to see the Great Oz.” “Oh, indeed!” exclaimed the man. “Are you sure that Oz will see you?” “Why not?” she replied. “Why, it is said that he never lets anyone come into his presence. I have been to the Emerald City many times, and it is a beautiful and wonderful place; but I have never been permitted to see the Great Oz, nor do I know of any living person who has seen him.” “Does he never go out?” asked the Scarecrow. “Never. He sits day after day in the great Throne Room of his Palace, and even those who wait upon him do not see him face to face.” “What is he like?” asked the girl. “That is hard to tell,” said the man thoughtfully. “You see, Oz is a Great Wizard, and can take on any form he wishes. So that some say he looks like a bird; and some say he looks like an elephant; and some say he looks like a cat. To others he appears as a beautiful fairy, or a brownie, or in any other form that pleases him. But who the real Oz is, when he is in his own form, no living person can tell.” “That is very strange,” said Dorothy, “but we must try, in some way, to see him, or we shall have made our journey for nothing.” “Why do you wish to see the terrible Oz?” asked the man. “I want him to give me some brains,” said the Scarecrow eagerly. “Oh, Oz could do that easily enough,” declared the man. “He has more brains than he needs.” “And I want him to give me a heart,” said the Tin Woodman.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—10
“That will not trouble him,” continued the man, “for Oz has a large collection of hearts, of all sizes and shapes.” “And I want him to give me courage,” said the Cowardly Lion. “Oz keeps a great pot of courage in his Throne Room,” said the man, “which he has covered with a golden plate, to keep it from running over. He will be glad to give you some.” “And I want him to send me back to Kansas,” said Dorothy. “Where is Kansas?” asked the man, with surprise. “I don’t know,” replied Dorothy sorrowfully, “but it is my home, and I’m sure it’s somewhere.” “Very likely. Well, Oz can do anything; so I suppose he will find Kansas for you. But first you must get to see him, and that will be a hard task; for the Great Wizard does not like to see anyone, and he usually has his own way. But what do YOU want?” he continued, speaking to Toto. Toto only wagged his tail; for, strange to say, he could not speak. The woman now called to them that supper was ready, so they gathered around the table and Dorothy ate some delicious porridge and a dish of scrambled eggs and a plate of nice white bread, and enjoyed her meal. The Lion ate some of the porridge, but did not care for it, saying it was made from oats and oats were food for horses, not for lions. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman ate nothing at all. Toto ate a little of everything, and was glad to get a good supper again. The woman now gave Dorothy a bed to sleep in, and Toto lay down beside her, while the Lion guarded the door of her room so she might not be disturbed. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood up in a corner and kept quiet all night, although of course they could not sleep. The next morning, as soon as the sun was up, they started on their way, and soon saw a beautiful green glow in the sky just before them. “That must be the Emerald City,” said Dorothy. As they walked on, the green glow became brighter and brighter, and it seemed that at last they were nearing the end of their travels. Yet it was afternoon before they came to the great wall that surrounded the City. It was high and thick and of a bright green color. In front of them, and at the end of the road of yellow brick, was a big gate, all studded with emeralds that glittered so in the sun that even the painted eyes of the Scarecrow were dazzled by their brilliancy. There was a bell beside the gate, and Dorothy pushed the button and heard a silvery tinkle sound within. Then the big gate swung slowly open, and they all passed through and found themselves in a high arched room, the walls of which glistened with countless emeralds. Before them stood a little man about the same size as the Munchkins. He was clothed all in green, from his head to his feet,
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 123—11
and even his skin was of a greenish tint. At his side was a large green box. When he saw Dorothy and her companions the man asked, “What do you wish in the Emerald City?” “We came here to see the Great Oz,” said Dorothy. The man was so surprised at this answer that he sat down to think it over. “It has been many years since anyone asked me to see Oz,” he said, shaking his head in perplexity. “He is powerful and terrible, and if you come on an idle or foolish errand to bother the wise reflections of the Great Wizard, he might be angry and destroy you all in an instant.” “But it is not a foolish errand, nor an idle one,” replied the Scarecrow; “it is important. And we have been told that Oz is a good Wizard.” “So he is,” said the green man, “and he rules the Emerald City wisely and well. But to those who are not honest, or who approach him from curiosity, he is most terrible, and few have ever dared ask to see his face. I am the Guardian of the Gates, and since you demand to see the Great Oz I must take you to his Palace. But first you must put on the spectacles.” “Why?” asked Dorothy. “Because if you did not wear spectacles the brightness and glory of the Emerald City would blind you. Even those who live in the City must wear spectacles night and day. They are all locked on, for Oz so ordered it when the City was first built, and I have the only key that will unlock them.” He opened the big box, and Dorothy saw that it was filled with spectacles of every size and shape. All of them had green glasses in them. The Guardian of the Gates found a pair that would just fit Dorothy and put them over her eyes. There were two golden bands fastened to them that passed around the back of her head, where they were locked together by a little key that was at the end of a chain the Guardian of the Gates wore around his neck. When they were on, Dorothy could not take them off had she wished, but of course she did not wish to be blinded by the glare of the Emerald City, so she said nothing. Then the green man fitted spectacles for the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Lion, and even on little Toto; and all were locked fast with the key. Then the Guardian of the Gates put on his own glasses and told them he was ready to show them to the Palace. Taking a big golden key from a peg on the wall, he opened another gate, and they all followed him through the portal into the streets of the Emerald City.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—1
Lesson 124
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Quiz
Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What do you envision the city of Oz to look like? What makes you picture it the way you do? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, assign The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Chapters 1–10 Quiz. The student will then continue reading Chapter 11 and respond to the Study Questions that correspond with the chapter. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Quiz Chapters One–Ten Answer Key: She was an orphan and lived with her aunt and uncle in Kansas. The Munchkins The Munchkins Fire Getting wet Sleep Walking Spectacles The Tin Woodman destroyed the tree bridge with his axe and the Kalidahs fell to their deaths. The stork carried him to safety. Chapter Eleven Study Questions Answer Key: What does the Emerald city look like? The streets were lined with beautiful houses all built of green marble and studded everywhere with sparkling emeralds. The pavement of the same green marble, and where the blocks were joined together were rows of emeralds, set closely, and glittering in the brightness of the sun. The window panes were of green glass. The sky above the City had a green tint, and the rays of the sun were green. What were the travelers told about seeing the Wizard? That the Wizard will only see them alone and only one per day.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—2
What is distinctive about Dorothy in this chapter and how does she get this distinction? The silver shoes and the kiss upon her forehead that she received when her house landed the Wicked Witch of The East. What were the travelers told to do in order to have their wishes granted by the Wizard? Kill the Wicked Witch of the West. What does the Wizard look like and how did the travelers respond to his appearance? For Dorothy the Wizard appeared as a head For Scarecrow the Wizard appeared as a lady; he is surprised because he knew Dorothy saw a head. For Tin Man the Wizard appeared as a huge best; he was disappointed because he figured a lady would more likely grant him a heart. For the Lion the Wizard appeared as a ball of fire; he was disappointed because he anticipated on roaring at the lady or rolling the head around on the ground until the Wizard succumbed to their wishes. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss the opening quiz with the student, paying particular attention to any answers about which he is unsure.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—1
Lesson 124
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Quiz
Chapters One through Ten Directions: Answer each of the questions relating to the novel in complete sentences to the best of your ability. What do you know about Dorothy’s family life and living situation in Kansas?
Who does Dorothy first encounter when she lands in Oz?
STUDENT MANUAL
In the story, Bog refers to blue as the color of what?
Describe the Scarecrow’s fear.
Why is the Tin Woodman afraid?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—2
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—3
What do the poppies make Dorothy want to do?
How do the travelers finally get to the Emerald City?
What does Dorothy get when she arrives at the Emerald City?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—4
How did the travelers escape from the Kalidahs?
How was the Scarecrow rescued when he was stranded in the river?
In this Lesson, we will finally enter the Emerald City of Oz as we continue reading through L. Frank Baum’s novel. You should then read Chapter Eleven of the novel and answer the Study Questions that correspond to this chapter. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss the quiz you took at the beginning of the Lesson with your teacher. Discuss your answers and any questions that you were unsure how to respond to. This will help you as you continue to read the rest of the story.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—5
Chapter Eleven Study Questions What does the Emerald city look like?
What were the travelers told about seeing the Wizard?
What is distinctive about Dorothy in this chapter and how does she get this distinction?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—6
What were the travelers told to do in order to have their wishes granted by the Wizard?
What does the Wizard look like and how did the travelers respond to his appearance?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—7
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 11. The Wonderful City of Oz Even with eyes protected by the green spectacles, Dorothy and her friends were at first dazzled by the brilliancy of the wonderful City. The streets were lined with beautiful houses all built of green marble and studded everywhere with sparkling emeralds. They walked over a pavement of the same green marble, and where the blocks were joined together were rows of emeralds, set closely, and glittering in the brightness of the sun. The window panes were of green glass; even the sky above the City had a green tint, and the rays of the sun were green. There were many people—men, women, and children—walking about, and these were all dressed in green clothes and had greenish skins. They looked at Dorothy and her strangely assorted company with wondering eyes, and the children all ran away and hid behind their mothers when they saw the Lion; but no one spoke to them. Many shops stood in the street, and Dorothy saw that everything in them was green. Green candy and green pop corn were offered for sale, as well as green shoes, green hats, and green clothes of all sorts. At one place a man was selling green lemonade, and when the children bought it Dorothy could see that they paid for it with green pennies. There seemed to be no horses nor animals of any kind; the men carried things around in little green carts, which they pushed before them. Everyone seemed happy and contented and prosperous. The Guardian of the Gates led them through the streets until they came to a big building, exactly in the middle of the City, which was the Palace of Oz, the Great Wizard. There was a soldier before the door, dressed in a green uniform and wearing a long green beard. “Here are strangers,” said the Guardian of the Gates to him, “and they demand to see the Great Oz.” “Step inside,” answered the soldier, “and I will carry your message to him.” So they passed through the Palace Gates and were led into a big room with a green carpet and lovely green furniture set with emeralds. The soldier made them all wipe their feet upon a green mat before entering this room, and when they were seated he said politely: “Please make yourselves comfortable while I go to the door of the Throne Room and tell Oz you are here.” They had to wait a long time before the soldier returned. When, at last, he came back, Dorothy asked: “Have you seen Oz?” “Oh, no,” returned the soldier; “I have never seen him. But I spoke to him as he sat behind his screen and gave him your message. He said he will grant you an audience, if you so desire; but each one of you must enter his presence alone, and he will admit but one each day. Therefore, as you must remain in the Palace for several days, I will have you shown to rooms where you may rest in
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—8
comfort after your journey.” “Thank you,” replied the girl; “that is very kind of Oz.” The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a young girl, dressed in a pretty green silk gown, entered the room. She had lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before Dorothy as she said, “Follow me and I will show you your room.” So Dorothy said good-bye to all her friends except Toto, and taking the dog in her arms followed the green girl through seven passages and up three flights of stairs until they came to a room at the front of the Palace. It was the sweetest little room in the world, with a soft comfortable bed that had sheets of green silk and a green velvet counterpane. There was a tiny fountain in the middle of the room, that shot a spray of green perfume into the air, to fall back into a beautifully carved green marble basin. Beautiful green flowers stood in the windows, and there was a shelf with a row of little green books. When Dorothy had time to open these books she found them full of [odd] green pictures that made her laugh, they were so funny. In a wardrobe were many green dresses, made of silk and satin and velvet; and all of them fitted Dorothy exactly. “Make yourself perfectly at home,” said the green girl, “and if you wish for anything ring the bell. Oz will send for you tomorrow morning.” She left Dorothy alone and went back to the others. These she also led to rooms, and each one of them found himself lodged in a very pleasant part of the Palace. Of course this politeness was wasted on the Scarecrow; for when he found himself alone in his room he stood stupidly in one spot, just within the doorway, to wait till morning. It would not rest him to lie down, and he could not close his eyes; so he remained all night staring at a little spider which was weaving its web in a corner of the room, just as if it were not one of the most wonderful rooms in the world. The Tin Woodman lay down on his bed from force of habit, for he remembered when he was made of flesh; but not being able to sleep, he passed the night moving his joints up and down to make sure they kept in good working order. The Lion would have preferred a bed of dried leaves in the forest, and did not like being shut up in a room; but he had too much sense to let this worry him, so he sprang upon the bed and rolled himself up like a cat and purred himself asleep in a minute. The next morning, after breakfast, the green maiden came to fetch Dorothy, and she dressed her in one of the prettiest gowns, made of green brocaded satin. Dorothy put on a green silk apron and tied a green ribbon around Toto’s neck, and they started for the Throne Room of the Great Oz. First they came to a great hall in which were many ladies and gentlemen of the court, all dressed in rich costumes. These people had nothing to do but talk to each other, but they always came to wait outside the Throne Room every morning, although they were never permitted to see Oz. As Dorothy entered they looked at her curiously, and one of them whispered: “Are you really going to look upon the face of Oz the Terrible?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—9
“Of course,” answered the girl, “if he will see me.” “Oh, he will see you,” said the soldier who had taken her message to the Wizard, “although he does not like to have people ask to see him. Indeed, at first he was angry and said I should send you back where you came from. Then he asked me what you looked like, and when I mentioned your silver shoes he was very much interested. At last I told him about the mark upon your forehead, and he decided he would admit you to his presence.” Just then a bell rang, and the green girl said to Dorothy, “That is the signal. You must go into the Throne Room alone.” She opened a little door and Dorothy walked boldly through and found herself in a wonderful place. It was a big, round room with a high arched roof, and the walls and ceiling and floor were covered with large emeralds set closely together. In the center of the roof was a great light, as bright as the sun, which made the emeralds sparkle in a wonderful manner. But what interested Dorothy most was the big throne of green marble that stood in the middle of the room. It was shaped like a chair and sparkled with gems, as did everything else. In the center of the chair was an enormous Head, without a body to support it or any arms or legs whatever. There was no hair upon this head, but it had eyes and a nose and mouth, and was much bigger than the head of the biggest giant. As Dorothy gazed upon this in wonder and fear, the eyes turned slowly and looked at her sharply and steadily. Then the mouth moved, and Dorothy heard a voice say: “I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?” It was not such an awful voice as she had expected to come from the big Head; so she took courage and answered: “I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek. I have come to you for help.” The eyes looked at her thoughtfully for a full minute. Then said the voice: “Where did you get the silver shoes?” “I got them from the Wicked Witch of the East, when my house fell on her and killed her,” she replied. “Where did you get the mark upon your forehead?” continued the voice. “That is where the Good Witch of the North kissed me when she bade me good-bye and sent me to you,” said the girl. Again the eyes looked at her sharply, and they saw she was telling the truth. Then Oz asked, “What do you wish me to do?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—10
“Send me back to Kansas, where my Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are,” she answered earnestly. “I don’t like your country, although it is so beautiful. And I am sure Aunt Em will be dreadfully worried over my being away so long.” The eyes winked three times, and then they turned up to the ceiling and down to the floor and rolled around so [oddly] that they seemed to see every part of the room. And at last they looked at Dorothy again. “Why should I do this for you?” asked Oz. “Because you are strong and I am weak; because you are a Great Wizard and I am only a little girl.” “Bt you were strong enough to kill the Wicked Witch of the East,” said Oz. “That just happened,” returned Dorothy simply; “I could not help it.” “Well,” said the Head, “I will give you my answer. You have no right to expect me to send you back to Kansas unless you do something for me in return. In this country everyone must pay for everything he gets. If you wish me to use my magic power to send you home again you must do something for me first. Help me and I will help you.” “What must I do?” asked the girl. “Kill the Wicked Witch of the West,” answered Oz. “But I cannot!” exclaimed Dorothy, greatly surprised. “You killed the Witch of the East and you wear the silver shoes, which bear a powerful charm. There is now but one Wicked Witch left in all this land, and when you can tell me she is dead I will send you back to Kansas—but not before.” The little girl began to weep, she was so much disappointed; and the eyes winked again and looked upon her anxiously, as if the Great Oz felt that she could help him if she would. “I never killed anything, willingly,” she sobbed. “Even if I wanted to, how could I kill the Wicked Witch? If you, who are Great and Terrible, cannot kill her yourself, how do you expect me to do it?” “I do not know,” said the Head; “but that is my answer, and until the Wicked Witch dies you will not see your uncle and aunt again. Remember that the Witch is Wicked—tremendously Wicked —and ought to be killed. Now go, and do not ask to see me again until you have done your task.” Sorrowfully Dorothy left the Throne Room and went back where the Lion and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were waiting to hear what Oz had said to her. “There is no hope for me,” she said sadly, “for Oz will not send me home until I have killed the Wicked Witch of the West; and that I can never do.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—11
Her friends were sorry, but could do nothing to help her; so Dorothy went to her own room and lay down on the bed and cried herself to sleep. The next morning the soldier with the green whiskers came to the Scarecrow and said: “Come with me, for Oz has sent for you.”So the Scarecrow followed him and was admitted into the great Throne Room, where he saw, sitting in the emerald throne, a most lovely Lady. She was dressed in green silk gauze and wore upon her flowing green locks a crown of jewels. Growing from her shoulders were wings, gorgeous in color and so light that they fluttered if the slightest breath of air reached them. When the Scarecrow had bowed, as prettily as his straw stuffing would let him, before this beautiful creature, she looked upon him sweetly, and said: “I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?” Now the Scarecrow, who had expected to see the great Head Dorothy had told him of, was much astonished; but he answered her bravely. “I am only a Scarecrow, stuffed with straw. Therefore I have no brains, and I come to you praying that you will put brains in my head instead of straw, so that I may become as much a man as any other in your dominions.” “Why should I do this for you?” asked the Lady. “Because you are wise and powerful, and no one else can help me,” answered the Scarecrow. “I never grant favors without some return,” said Oz; “but this much I will promise. If you will kill for me the Wicked Witch of the West, I will bestow upon you a great many brains, and such good brains that you will be the wisest man in all the Land of Oz.” “I thought you asked Dorothy to kill the Witch,” said the Scarecrow, in surprise. “So I did. I don’t care who kills her. But until she is dead I will not grant your wish. Now go, and do not seek me again until you have earned the brains you so greatly desire.” The Scarecrow went sorrowfully back to his friends and told them what Oz had said; and Dorothy was surprised to find that the Great Wizard was not a Head, as she had seen him, but a lovely Lady. “All the same,” said the Scarecrow, “she needs a heart as much as the Tin Woodman.” On the next morning the soldier with the green whiskers came to the Tin Woodman and said: “Oz has sent for you. Follow me.” So the Tin Woodman followed him and came to the great Throne Room. He did not know
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—12
whether he would find Oz a lovely Lady or a Head, but he hoped it would be the lovely Lady. “For,” he said to himself, “if it is the head, I am sure I shall not be given a heart, since a head has no heart of its own and therefore cannot feel for me. But if it is the lovely Lady I shall beg hard for a heart, for all ladies are themselves said to be kindly hearted.” But when the Woodman entered the great Throne Room he saw neither the Head nor the Lady, for Oz had taken the shape of a most terrible Beast. It was nearly as big as an elephant, and the green throne seemed hardly strong enough to hold its weight. The Beast had a head like that of a rhinoceros, only there were five eyes in its face. There were five long arms growing out of its body, and it also had five long, slim legs. Thick, woolly hair covered every part of it, and a more dreadfullooking monster could not be imagined. It was fortunate the Tin Woodman had no heart at that moment, for it would have beat loud and fast from terror. But being only tin, the Woodman was not at all afraid, although he was much disappointed. “I am Oz, the Great and Terrible,” spoke the Beast, in a voice that was one great roar. “Who are you, and why do you seek me?” “I am a Woodman, and made of tin. Therefore I have no heart, and cannot love. I pray you to give me a heart that I may be as other men are.” “Why should I do this?” demanded the Beast. “Because I ask it, and you alone can grant my request,” answered the Woodman. Oz gave a low growl at this, but said, gruffly: “If you indeed desire a heart, you must earn it.” “How?” asked the Woodman. “Help Dorothy to kill the Wicked Witch of the West,” replied the Beast. “When the Witch is dead, come to me, and I will then give you the biggest and kindest and most loving heart in all the Land of Oz.” So the Tin Woodman was forced to return sorrowfully to his friends and tell them of the terrible Beast he had seen. They all wondered greatly at the many forms the Great Wizard could take upon himself, and the Lion said: “If he is a Beast when I go to see him, I shall roar my loudest, and so frighten him that he will grant all I ask. And if he is the lovely Lady, I shall pretend to spring upon her, and so compel her to do my bidding. And if he is the great Head, he will be at my mercy; for I will roll this head all about the room until he promises to give us what we desire. So be of good cheer, my friends, for all will yet be well.” The next morning the soldier with the green whiskers led the Lion to the great Throne Room and bade him enter the presence of Oz. The Lion at once passed through the door, and glancing around saw, to his surprise, that before
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—13
the throne was a Ball of Fire, so fierce and glowing he could scarcely bear to gaze upon it. His first thought was that Oz had by accident caught on fire and was burning up; but when he tried to go nearer, the heat was so intense that it singed his whiskers, and he crept back tremblingly to a spot nearer the door. Then a low, quiet voice came from the Ball of Fire, and these were the words it spoke: “I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?” And the Lion answered, “I am a Cowardly Lion, afraid of everything. I came to you to beg that you give me courage, so that in reality I may become the King of Beasts, as men call me.” “Why should I give you courage?” demanded Oz. “Because of all Wizards you are the greatest, and alone have power to grant my request,” answered the Lion. The Ball of Fire burned fiercely for a time, and the voice said, “Bring me proof that the Wicked Witch is dead, and that moment I will give you courage. But as long as the Witch lives, you must remain a coward.” The Lion was angry at this speech, but could say nothing in reply, and while he stood silently gazing at the Ball of Fire it became so furiously hot that he turned tail and rushed from the room. He was glad to find his friends waiting for him, and told them of his terrible interview with the Wizard. “What shall we do now?” asked Dorothy sadly. “There is only one thing we can do,” returned the Lion, “and that is to go to the land of the Winkies, seek out the Wicked Witch, and destroy her.” “But suppose we cannot?” said the girl. “Then I shall never have courage,” declared the Lion. “And I shall never have brains,” added the Scarecrow “And I shall never have a heart,” spoke the Tin of Woodman. “And I shall never see Aunt Em and Uncle Henry,” said Dorothy, beginning to cry. “Be careful!” cried the green girl. “The tears will fall on your green silk gown and spot it.” So Dorothy dried her eyes and said, “I suppose we must try it; but I am sure I do not want to kill anybody, even to see Aunt Em again.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 124—14
“I will go with you; but I’m too much of a coward to kill the Witch,” said the Lion. “I will go too,” declared the Scarecrow; “but I shall not be of much help to you, I am such a fool.” “I haven’t the heart to harm even a Witch,” remarked the Tin Woodman; “but if you go I certainly shall go with you.” Therefore it was decided to start upon their journey the next morning, and the Woodman sharpened his axe on a green grindstone and had all his joints properly oiled. The Scarecrow stuffed himself with fresh straw and Dorothy put new paint on his eyes that he might see better. The green girl, who was very kind to them, filled Dorothy’s basket with good things to eat, and fastened a little bell around Toto’s neck with a green ribbon. They went to bed quite early and slept soundly until daylight, when they were awakened by the crowing of a green [rooster] that lived in the back yard of the Palace, and the cackling of a hen that had laid a green egg.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—1
Lesson 125
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective or Adverb?
Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives and adverbs correctly in writing. Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Have you ever been sent on a journey to complete a daring or dangerous activity? If you can’t think of one, what tools or personality traits would be helpful if you are ever sent on this type of journey in the future? Extensions: This chapter includes a chain of events that happen to Dorothy and her friends as they travel out to find the wicked Witch of the West by the Wizard of Oz’s command. After the student has read the chapter and answered the Study Questions, ask the student to create a six to eight slide comic-like description of the major events in this chapter by using a separate box on a sheet of paper divided into six to eight boxes in which a different scene from the chapter is drawn and illustrated. This activity will allow the student to display creativity as it relates to the novel, while also helping the student to fully understand the order and importance of the events displayed in the chapter. Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, begin the Lesson with a Mini-Lesson teaching appropriate adverb usage in writing. She will be given the opportunity to demonstrate her understanding of this Mini-Lesson with an Adverb Practice activity. The student will then continue reading the next chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and respond to the Study Questions that correspond with the chapter. Adjective or Adverb? Practice Answer Key: Badly Well Badly Really Really Well Badly Bad Good Really Badly Really
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—2
Chapter Twelve Study Questions Answer Key: Where were the travelers told to find the wicked Witch of the West? They are told to go to the country of the Winkies where the Witch will find them. What was the witch’s response when she first saw Dorothy? To send forty wolves to kill them. Describe the witch’s actions after the Scarecrow caused her second plan to fail. She sends bees after them. Did any of the witch’s plan work? If not, what happened to cause it to fail and what was her response? The Tin Man killed the wolves, the crows were scared of the Scarecrow, the bees died when they hit the Tin Man and the Winkies were scared away from by the Lion. She grew frustrated and finally sent the Winged Monkeys after the group. They dropped the Tin Man over rocks, tore apart the Scarecrow, captured the Lion and took Dorothy to the Witch. What was the witch planning to get Dorothy’s slippers? By putting an invisible iron rod in the middle of the kitchen so that when Dorothy fell the shoes would fly off of her. Did she succeed or fail in this attempt? One shoe did come off. How does this chapter end? Dorothy pours water on the Wicked Witch and she melts. Lesson Wrap-Up: Ask the student if she has ever said “I don’t feel good”? Ask the student to identify the correct phrasing (“I don’t feel well.”) Ask the student if there are other sentences she knows in which an adjective is used in place of an adverb, or vice versa (“He did bad,” “She was real scared,” etc).
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—1
Lesson 125
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adjective or Adverb?
Have you ever been sent on a journey to complete a daring or dangerous activity? If you can’t think of one, what tools or personality traits would be helpful if you are ever sent on this type of journey in the future? To begin, think about the correct usage of the words “good” and “well.” “Good” is always used as an adjective and “well” is used as an adverb except when it refers to health in which case it is used as an adjective. Examine the sentences below to see these differences. Example: I read a good book over the weekend. In this sentence, “good” is modifying the noun “book” and is therefore an adjective. Example: She taught her Lesson well. In this sentence, “well” is modifying the verb “taught” and is therefore an adverb. When thinking about the difference between “real” and “really,” it is important to note that “real” is always an adjective, while “really” is always an adverb. See the following sentences below. Example: She would rather have a real dog than a stuffed animal. In this sentence, “real” describes the word “dog,” which is a noun and therefore makes “real” an adjective. Example: We were really scared when the thunder and lightening began. In this sentence, “really” modifies the adjective “scared” and is therefore an adverb. It tells how scared we were. Finally, the pair of words “bad” and “badly” are often confused, but “bad” is always an adjective, and “badly” is always an adverb. Example: I earned a bad grade on my math test yesterday. In this sentence, “bad” describes the “grade” earned, and since “grade” is a noun, this makes “bad” and adjective. Example: She is hurt badly. In this sentence, “badly” modifies the word “hurt,” and is therefore an adverb. It tells how badly she was hurt. Test your understanding of the three special pairs of adjectives and adverbs discussed in this Mini-Lesson by completing the “Adjective or Adverb?” Practice Worksheet.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—2
Adjective or Adverb? Directions: In each of the sentences below, circle the appropriate adjective or adverb that makes the sentence correct. She wanted to go to the park so (bad, badly). My mom can’t very (good, well) disagree with me. The vase on the table was (bad, badly) broken. She (real, really) wants to go with us to the store. The ice cream was (real, really) cold. Mark doesn’t feel very (good, well). My car was pretty (bad, badly) wrecked in the accident. This was not a (bad, badly) day to go to the park. All of the party-goers had a (good, well) time. We are (real, really) happy for you and your new baby. He felt (bad, badly) when he fell out of his bed. The mountains looked (real, really) far away. In what you last read, Dorothy and her friends were sent by the Wizard of Oz to kill the wicked Witch of the West. Upon completion of this task, the Wizard told the travelers that he would help them get what they wanted. In Chapter Twelve entitled “The Search for the Wicked Witch,” you will learn what happens to the travelers as they strive to complete this task. Begin by reading Chapter Twelve of the novel silently. Then, complete the Study Questions accompanying this chapter. Lesson Wrap-Up: Do you ever say “I don’t feel good”? What have you learned in this Lesson to correct that sentence?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—3
Chapter Twelve Study Questions Where were the travelers told to find the wicked Witch of the West?
What was the witch’s response when she first saw Dorothy?
Describe the witch’s actions after the Scarecrow caused her second plan to fail.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—4
Did any of the witch’s plans work? If not, what happened to cause it/them to fail and what was her response?
What was the witch planning to get Dorothy’s slippers?
Did she succeed or fail in this attempt?
How does this chapter end?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—5
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 12. The Search for the Wicked Witch The soldier with the green whiskers led them through the streets of the Emerald City until they reached the room where the Guardian of the Gates lived. This officer unlocked their spectacles to put them back in his great box, and then he politely opened the gate for our friends. “Which road leads to the Wicked Witch of the West?” asked Dorothy. “There is no road,” answered the Guardian of the Gates. “No one ever wishes to go that way.” “How, then, are we to find her?” inquired the girl. “That will be easy,” replied the man, “for when she knows you are in the country of the Winkies she will find you, and make you all her slaves.” “Perhaps not,” said the Scarecrow, “for we mean to destroy her.” “Oh, that is different,” said the Guardian of the Gates. “No one has ever destroyed her before, so I naturally thought she would make slaves of you, as she has of the rest. But take care; for she is wicked and fierce, and may not allow you to destroy her. Keep to the West, where the sun sets, and you cannot fail to find her.” They thanked him and bade him good-bye, and turned toward the West, walking over fields of soft grass dotted here and there with daisies and buttercups. Dorothy still wore the pretty silk dress she had put on in the palace, but now, to her surprise, she found it was no longer green, but pure white. The ribbon around Toto’s neck had also lost its green color and was as white as Dorothy’s dress. The Emerald City was soon left far behind. As they advanced the ground became rougher and hillier, for there were no farms nor houses in this country of the West, and the ground was untilled. In the afternoon the sun shone hot in their faces, for there were no trees to offer them shade; so that before night Dorothy and Toto and the Lion were tired, and lay down upon the grass and fell asleep, with the Woodman and the Scarecrow keeping watch. Now the Wicked Witch of the West had but one eye, yet that was as powerful as a telescope, and could see everywhere. So, as she sat in the door of her castle, she happened to look around and saw Dorothy lying asleep, with her friends all about her. They were a long distance off, but the Wicked Witch was angry to find them in her country; so she blew upon a silver whistle that hung around her neck. At once there came running to her from all directions a pack of great wolves. They had long legs and fierce eyes and sharp teeth. “Go to those people,” said the Witch, “and tear them to pieces.”
STUDENT MANUAL
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“Are you not going to make them your slaves?” asked the leader of the wolves. “No,” she answered, “one is of tin, and one of straw; one is a girl and another a Lion. None of them is fit to work, so you may tear them into small pieces.” “Very well,” said the wolf, and he dashed away at full speed, followed by the others. It was lucky the Scarecrow and the Woodman were wide awake and heard the wolves coming. “This is my fight,” said the Woodman, “so get behind me and I will meet them as they come.” He seized his axe, which he had made very sharp, and as the leader of the wolves came on the Tin Woodman swung his arm and chopped the wolf ’s head from its body, so that it immediately died. As soon as he could raise his axe another wolf came up, and he also fell under the sharp edge of the Tin Woodman’s weapon. There were forty wolves, and forty times a wolf was killed, so that at last they all lay dead in a heap before the Woodman. Then he put down his axe and sat beside the Scarecrow, who said, “It was a good fight, friend.” They waited until Dorothy awoke the next morning. The little girl was quite frightened when she saw the great pile of shaggy wolves, but the Tin Woodman told her all. She thanked him for saving them and sat down to breakfast, after which they started again upon their journey. Now this same morning the Wicked Witch came to the door of her castle and looked out with her one eye that could see far off. She saw all her wolves lying dead, and the strangers still traveling through her country. This made her angrier than before, and she blew her silver whistle twice. Straightway a great flock of wild crows came flying toward her, enough to darken the sky. And the Wicked Witch said to the King Crow, “Fly at once to the strangers; peck out their eyes and tear them to pieces.” The wild crows flew in one great flock toward Dorothy and her companions. When the little girl saw them coming she was afraid. But the Scarecrow said, “This is my battle, so lie down beside me and you will not be harmed.” So they all lay upon the ground except the Scarecrow, and he stood up and stretched out his arms. And when the crows saw him they were frightened, as these birds always are by scarecrows, and did not dare to come any nearer. But the King Crow said: “It is only a stuffed man. I will peck his eyes out.” The King Crow flew at the Scarecrow, who caught it by the head and twisted its neck until it died. And then another crow flew at him, and the Scarecrow twisted its neck also. There were forty crows, and forty times the Scarecrow twisted a neck, until at last all were lying dead beside him. Then he called to his companions to rise, and again they went upon their journey.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—7
When the Wicked Witch looked out again and saw all her crows lying in a heap, she got into a terrible rage, and blew three times upon her silver whistle. Forthwith there was heard a great buzzing in the air, and a swarm of black bees came flying toward her. “Go to the strangers and sting them to death!” commanded the Witch, and the bees turned and flew rapidly until they came to where Dorothy and her friends were walking. But the Woodman had seen them coming, and the Scarecrow had decided what to do. “Take out my straw and scatter it over the little girl and the dog and the Lion,” he said to the Woodman, “and the bees cannot sting them.” This the Woodman did, and as Dorothy lay close beside the Lion and held Toto in her arms, the straw covered them entirely. The bees came and found no one but the Woodman to sting, so they flew at him and broke off all their stings against the tin, without hurting the Woodman at all. And as bees cannot live when their stings are broken that was the end of the black bees, and they lay scattered thick about the Woodman, like little heaps of fine coal. Then Dorothy and the Lion got up, and the girl helped the Tin Woodman put the straw back into the Scarecrow again, until he was as good as ever. So they started upon their journey once more. The Wicked Witch was so angry when she saw her black bees in little heaps like fine coal that she stamped her foot and tore her hair and gnashed her teeth. And then she called a dozen of her slaves, who were the Winkies, and gave them sharp spears, telling them to go to the strangers and destroy them. The Winkies were not a brave people, but they had to do as they were told. So they marched away until they came near to Dorothy. Then the Lion gave a great roar and sprang towards them, and the poor Winkies were so frightened that they ran back as fast as they could. When they returned to the castle the Wicked Witch beat them well with a strap, and sent them back to their work, after which she sat down to think what she should do next. She could not understand how all her plans to destroy these strangers had failed; but she was a powerful Witch, as well as a wicked one, and she soon made up her mind how to act. There was, in her cupboard, a Golden Cap, with a circle of diamonds and rubies running round it. This Golden Cap had a charm. Whoever owned it could call three times upon the Winged Monkeys, who would obey any order they were given. But no person could command these strange creatures more than three times. Twice already the Wicked Witch had used the charm of the Cap. Once was when she had made the Winkies her slaves, and set herself to rule over their country. The Winged Monkeys had helped her do this. The second time was when she had fought against the Great Oz himself, and driven him out of the land of the West. The Winged Monkeys had also helped her in doing this. Only once more could she use this Golden Cap, for which reason she did not like to do so until all her other powers were exhausted. But now that her fierce wolves and her
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—8
wild crows and her stinging bees were gone, and her slaves had been scared away by the Cowardly Lion, she saw there was only one way left to destroy Dorothy and her friends. So the Wicked Witch took the Golden Cap from her cupboard and placed it upon her head. Then she stood upon her left foot and said slowly: “Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke!” Next she stood upon her right foot and said: “Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo!” After this she stood upon both feet and cried in a loud voice: “Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik!” Now the charm began to work. The sky was darkened, and a low rumbling sound was heard in the air. There was a rushing of many wings, a great chattering and laughing, and the sun came out of the dark sky to show the Wicked Witch surrounded by a crowd of monkeys, each with a pair of immense and powerful wings on his shoulders. One, much bigger than the others, seemed to be their leader. He flew close to the Witch and said, “You have called us for the third and last time. What do you command?” “Go to the strangers who are within my land and destroy them all except the Lion,” said the Wicked Witch. “Bring that beast to me, for I have a mind to harness him like a horse, and make him work.” “Your commands shall be obeyed,” said the leader. Then, with a great deal of chattering and noise, the Winged Monkeys flew away to the place where Dorothy and her friends were walking. Some of the Monkeys seized the Tin Woodman and carried him through the air until they were over a country thickly covered with sharp rocks. Here they dropped the poor Woodman, who fell a great distance to the rocks, where he lay so battered and dented that he could neither move nor groan. Others of the Monkeys caught the Scarecrow, and with their long fingers pulled all of the straw out of his clothes and head. They made his hat and boots and clothes into a small bundle and threw it into the top branches of a tall tree. The remaining Monkeys threw pieces of stout rope around the Lion and wound many coils about his body and head and legs, until he was unable to bite or scratch or struggle in any way. Then they lifted him up and flew away with him to the Witch’s castle, where he was placed in a small yard with a high iron fence around it, so that he could not escape. But Dorothy they did not harm at all. She stood, with Toto in her arms, watching the sad fate of
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—9
her comrades and thinking it would soon be her turn. The leader of the Winged Monkeys flew up to her, his long, hairy arms stretched out and his ugly face grinning terribly; but he saw the mark of the Good Witch’s kiss upon her forehead and stopped short, motioning the others not to touch her. “We dare not harm this little girl,” he said to them, “for she is protected by the Power of Good, and that is greater than the Power of Evil. All we can do is to carry her to the castle of the Wicked Witch and leave her there.” So, carefully and gently, they lifted Dorothy in their arms and carried her swiftly through the air until they came to the castle, where they set her down upon the front doorstep. Then the leader said to the Witch: “We have obeyed you as far as we were able. The Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow are destroyed, and the Lion is tied up in your yard. The little girl we dare not harm, nor the dog she carries in her arms. Your power over our band is now ended, and you will never see us again.”Then all the Winged Monkeys, with much laughing and chattering and noise, flew into the air and were soon out of sight. The Wicked Witch was both surprised and worried when she saw the mark on Dorothy’s forehead, for she knew well that neither the Winged Monkeys nor she, herself, dare hurt the girl in any way. She looked down at Dorothy’s feet, and seeing the Silver Shoes, began to tremble with fear, for she knew what a powerful charm belonged to them. At first the Witch was tempted to run away from Dorothy; but she happened to look into the child’s eyes and saw how simple the soul behind them was, and that the little girl did not know of the wonderful power the Silver Shoes gave her. So the Wicked Witch laughed to herself, and thought, “I can still make her my slave, for she does not know how to use her power.” Then she said to Dorothy, harshly and severely: “Come with me; and see that you mind everything I tell you, for if you do not I will make an end of you, as I did of the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow.” Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle until they came to the kitchen, where the Witch bade her clean the pots and kettles and sweep the floor and keep the fire fed with wood. Dorothy went to work meekly, with her mind made up to work as hard as she could; for she was glad the Wicked Witch had decided not to kill her. With Dorothy hard at work, the Witch thought she would go into the courtyard and harness the Cowardly Lion like a horse; it would amuse her, she was sure, to make him draw her chariot whenever she wished to go to drive. But as she opened the gate the Lion gave a loud roar and bounded at her so fiercely that the Witch was afraid, and ran out and shut the gate again. “If I cannot harness you,” said the Witch to the Lion, speaking through the bars of the gate, “I can starve you. You shall have nothing to eat until you do as I wish.” So after that she took no food to the imprisoned Lion; but every day she came to the gate at
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—10
noon and asked, “Are you ready to be harnessed like a horse?” And the Lion would answer, “No. If you come in this yard, I will bite you.” The reason the Lion did not have to do as the Witch wished was that every night, while the woman was asleep, Dorothy carried him food from the cupboard. After he had eaten he would lie down on his bed of straw, and Dorothy would lie beside him and put her head on his soft, shaggy mane, while they talked of their troubles and tried to plan some way to escape. But they could find no way to get out of the castle, for it was constantly guarded by the yellow Winkies, who were the slaves of the Wicked Witch and too afraid of her not to do as she told them. The girl had to work hard during the day, and often the Witch threatened to beat her with the same old umbrella she always carried in her hand. But, in truth, she did not dare to strike Dorothy, because of the mark upon her forehead. The child did not know this, and was full of fear for herself and Toto. Once the Witch struck Toto a blow with her umbrella and the brave little dog flew at her and bit her leg in return. The Witch did not bleed where she was bitten, for she was so wicked that the blood in her had dried up many years before. Dorothy’s life became very sad as she grew to understand that it would be harder than ever to get back to Kansas and Aunt Em again. Sometimes she would cry bitterly for hours, with Toto sitting at her feet and looking into her face, whining dismally to show how sorry he was for his little mistress. Toto did not really care whether he was in Kansas or the Land of Oz so long as Dorothy was with him; but he knew the little girl was unhappy, and that made him unhappy too. Now the Wicked Witch had a great longing to have for her own the Silver Shoes which the girl always wore. Her bees and her crows and her wolves were lying in heaps and drying up, and she had used up all the power of the Golden Cap; but if she could only get hold of the Silver Shoes, they would give her more power than all the other things she had lost. She watched Dorothy carefully, to see if she ever took off her shoes, thinking she might steal them. But the child was so proud of her pretty shoes that she never took them off except at night and when she took her bath. The Witch was too much afraid of the dark to dare go in Dorothy’s room at night to take the shoes, and her dread of water was greater than her fear of the dark, so she never came near when Dorothy was bathing. Indeed, the old Witch never touched water, nor ever let water touch her in any way. But the wicked creature was very cunning, and she finally thought of a trick that would give her what she wanted. She placed a bar of iron in the middle of the kitchen floor, and then by her magic arts made the iron invisible to human eyes. So that when Dorothy walked across the floor she stumbled over the bar, not being able to see it, and fell at full length. She was not much hurt, but in her fall one of the Silver Shoes came off; and before she could reach it, the Witch had snatched it away and put it on her own skinny foot. The wicked woman was greatly pleased with the success of her trick, for as long as she had one of the shoes she owned half the power of their charm, and Dorothy could not use it against her, even had she known how to do so. The little girl, seeing she had lost one of her pretty shoes, grew angry, and said to the Witch,
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 125—11
“Give me back my shoe!” “I will not,” retorted the Witch, “for it is now my shoe, and not yours.” “You are a wicked creature!” cried Dorothy. “You have no right to take my shoe from me.” “I shall keep it, just the same,” said the Witch, laughing at her, “and someday I shall get the other one from you, too.” This made Dorothy so very angry that she picked up the bucket of water that stood near and dashed it over the Witch, wetting her from head to foot. Instantly the wicked woman gave a loud cry of fear, and then, as Dorothy looked at her in wonder, the Witch began to shrink and fall away. “See what you have done!” she screamed. “In a minute I shall melt away.” “I’m very sorry, indeed,” said Dorothy, who was truly frightened to see the Witch actually melting away like brown sugar before her very eyes. “Didn’t you know water would be the end of me?” asked the Witch, in a wailing, despairing voice. “Of course not,” answered Dorothy. “How should I?” “Well, in a few minutes I shall be all melted, and you will have the castle to yourself. I have been wicked in my day, but I never thought a little girl like you would ever be able to melt me and end my wicked deeds. Look out—here I go!” With these words the Witch fell down in a brown, melted, shapeless mass and began to spread over the clean boards of the kitchen floor. Seeing that she had really melted away to nothing, Dorothy drew another bucket of water and threw it over the mess. She then swept it all out the door. After picking out the silver shoe, which was all that was left of the old woman, she cleaned and dried it with a cloth, and put it on her foot again. Then, being at last free to do as she chose, she ran out to the courtyard to tell the Lion that the Wicked Witch of the West had come to an end, and that they were no longer prisoners in a strange land.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 126—1
Lesson 126
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverbs in Writing
Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adverbs correctly in writing Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Have you ever been rescued from something or witnessed a rescue? Describe this experience. Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, begin the Lesson with a Mini-Lesson teaching appropriate adverb usage in writing. She will be given the opportunity to demonstrate her understanding of this Mini-Lesson with an Adverb Practice activity. The student will then continue reading the next chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and respond to the Study Questions that correspond with the chapter. Chapter Thirteen Study Questions Answer Key: Describe the rescue that occurred in this chapter. What character or characters performed a rescue and to whom? Dorothy set the lion free by unlocking his gate. She then called all the Winkies together and told them that were no longer slaves. The Winkies then rescued the Woodsman. The Tin Man and the Winkies rescued the Scarecrow. When Dorothy went to get food to take back to the Emerald City, what did she take? The Golden Cap Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write five sentences in which double negatives are used, and then rewrite each sentence with the proper usage of the negative words. Some simple examples might help the student to get on the right track (“I don’t have none,” “He can’t do nothing,” etc.)
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 126—1
Lesson 126
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverbs in Writing
Have you ever been rescued from something or witnessed a rescue? Describe this experience. In this Lesson, we will continue our study in proper adverb usage by learning how to avoid double negatives. A negative word is one meaning “no.” Contractions formed by n’t are negative words because the n’t means “not.” See if you can think of any negative words, and write this list on a sheet of paper. Common negative words include: none, neither, nothing, never, nobody, and no one. It is important to avoid using two or more negative words together in a sentence. This is what is referred to as avoiding double negatives. Examine the following sentences below to determine if proper usage of negative words occurs. Example: I don’t want none. (improper usage) I don’t want any. (proper usage) Example: Nobody wouldn’t come to the store with me. (improper usage) Nobody would come to the store with me. (proper usage) Example: No one couldn’t drive the car. (improper usage) No one could drive the car. (proper usage) Example: I wouldn’t never want to fly on an airplane. (improper usage) I wouldn’t ever want to fly on an airplane. (proper usage) In Chapter Thirteen, which you will read in this Lesson, a rescue takes place. Describe a time when you have either been rescued from something or have witnessed or heard of a rescue in your writing Journal. Then, read through Chapter Thirteen of the novel and answer the Study Questions accompanying this chapter. Lesson Wrap-Up: It should be easy to change an improper usage of double negatives to a proper sentence simply by changing the second negative word in the sentence to its positive counterpart. When you are writing, remember to avoid double negative usage in your sentences. For practice, write five sentences in which double negatives are used, and then rewrite each sentence with the proper usage of the negative words.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 126—2
Chapter Thirteen Study Questions Describe the rescue that occurred in this chapter. What character or characters performed a rescue and to whom?
When Dorothy went to get food to take back to the Emerald City, what did she take?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 126—3
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 13. The Rescue The Cowardly Lion was much pleased to hear that the Wicked Witch had been melted by a bucket of water, and Dorothy at once unlocked the gate of his prison and set him free. They went in together to the castle, where Dorothy’s first act was to call all the Winkies together and tell them that they were no longer slaves. There was great rejoicing among the yellow Winkies, for they had been made to work hard during many years for the Wicked Witch, who had always treated them with great cruelty. They kept this day as a holiday, then and ever after, and spent the time in feasting and dancing. “If our friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, were only with us,” said the Lion, “I should be quite happy.” “Don’t you suppose we could rescue them?” asked the girl anxiously. “We can try,” answered the Lion. So they called the yellow Winkies and asked them if they would help to rescue their friends, and the Winkies said that they would be delighted to do all in their power for Dorothy, who had set them free from bondage. So she chose a number of the Winkies who looked as if they knew the most, and they all started away. They traveled that day and part of the next until they came to the rocky plain where the Tin Woodman lay, all battered and bent. His axe was near him, but the blade was rusted and the handle broken off short. The Winkies lifted him tenderly in their arms, and carried him back to the Yellow Castle again, Dorothy shedding a few tears by the way at the sad plight of her old friend, and the Lion looking sober and sorry. When they reached the castle Dorothy said to the Winkies: “Are any of your people tinsmiths?” “Oh, yes. Some of us are very good tinsmiths,” they told her. “Then bring them to me,” she said. And when the tinsmiths came, bringing with them all their tools in baskets, she inquired, “Can you straighten out those dents in the Tin Woodman, and bend him back into shape again, and solder him together where he is broken?” The tinsmiths looked the Woodman over carefully and then answered that they thought they could mend him so he would be as good as ever. So they set to work in one of the big yellow rooms of the castle and worked for three days and four nights, hammering and twisting and bending and soldering and polishing and pounding at the legs and body and head of the Tin Woodman, until at last he was straightened out into his old form, and his joints worked as well as ever. To be sure, there were several patches on him, but the tinsmiths did a good job, and as the Woodman was not a vain man he did not mind the patches at all.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 126—4
When, at last, he walked into Dorothy’s room and thanked her for rescuing him, he was so pleased that he wept tears of joy, and Dorothy had to wipe every tear carefully from his face with her apron, so his joints would not be rusted. At the same time her own tears fell thick and fast at the joy of meeting her old friend again, and these tears did not need to be wiped away. As for the Lion, he wiped his eyes so often with the tip of his tail that it became quite wet, and he was obliged to go out into the courtyard and hold it in the sun till it dried. “If we only had the Scarecrow with us again,” said the Tin Woodman, when Dorothy had finished telling him everything that had happened, “I should be quite happy.” “We must try to find him,” said the girl. So she called the Winkies to help her, and they walked all that day and part of the next until they came to the tall tree in the branches of which the Winged Monkeys had tossed the Scarecrow’s clothes. It was a very tall tree, and the trunk was so smooth that no one could climb it; but the Woodman said at once, “I’ll chop it down, and then we can get the Scarecrow’s clothes.” Now while the tinsmiths had been at work mending the Woodman himself, another of the Winkies, who was a goldsmith, had made an axe-handle of solid gold and fitted it to the Woodman’s axe, instead of the old broken handle. Others polished the blade until all the rust was removed and it glistened like burnished silver. As soon as he had spoken, the Tin Woodman began to chop, and in a short time the tree fell over with a crash, whereupon the Scarecrow’s clothes fell out of the branches and rolled off on the ground. Dorothy picked them up and had the Winkies carry them back to the castle, where they were stuffed with nice, clean straw; and behold! Here was the Scarecrow, as good as ever, thanking them over and over again for saving him. Now that they were reunited, Dorothy and her friends spent a few happy days at the Yellow Castle, where they found everything they needed to make them comfortable. But one day the girl thought of Aunt Em, and said, “We must go back to Oz, and claim his promise.” “Yes,” said the Woodman, “at last I shall get my heart.” “And I shall get my brains,” added the Scarecrow joyfully. “And I shall get my courage,” said the Lion thoughtfully. “And I shall get back to Kansas,” cried Dorothy, clapping her hands. “Oh, let us start for the Emerald City tomorrow!”
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 126—5
This they decided to do. The next day they called the Winkies together and bade them goodbye. The Winkies were sorry to have them go, and they had grown so fond of the Tin Woodman that they begged him to stay and rule over them and the Yellow Land of the West. Finding they were determined to go, the Winkies gave Toto and the Lion each a golden collar; and to Dorothy they presented a beautiful bracelet studded with diamonds; and to the Scarecrow they gave a goldheaded walking stick, to keep him from stumbling; and to the Tin Woodman they offered a silver oil-can, inlaid with gold and set with precious jewels. Every one of the travelers made the Winkies a pretty speech in return, and all shook hands with them until their arms ached. Dorothy went to the Witch’s cupboard to fill her basket with food for the journey, and there she saw the Golden Cap. She tried it on her own head and found that it fitted her exactly. She did not know anything about the charm of the Golden Cap, but she saw that it was pretty, so she made up her mind to wear it and carry her sunbonnet in the basket. Then, being prepared for the journey, they all started for the Emerald City; and the Winkies gave them three cheers and many good wishes to carry with them.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 127—1
Lesson 127
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverbs in Writing
Objective: The student will continue to read a Fantasy novel, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adverbs correctly in writing. Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What does it mean to treat others with respect? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, he will complete an Adverb Review, to demonstrate his understanding of the previous Mini-Lessons. The student will then continue reading the next chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and respond to the Study Questions that correspond with the chapter. Adverb Review Answer Key: Part 1 answers will vary. Part 2 Bad Mostly sure Well More fragile Really Ever Any Any Chapter Fourteen Study Questions Answer Key: What do you know at this point about the Golden Cap? It grants three wishes to whomever possess it. How were the Winged Monkeys helpful to Dorothy and her friends? They carried them to the Wizard. What is the relationship between the Winged Monkeys and the Golden Cap? Princess Gayelette caused them to be enslaved by the Cap. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review with the student the adverb material presented thus far, paying special attention to anything that the student feels unsure about.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 127—1
Lesson 127
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverbs in Writing
What does it mean to treat others with respect? You will now complete an adverb review. This will demonstrate your understanding of adverbs.
Adverb Review Part 1: Complete each sentence with an adverb that makes sense to the sentence.
1. Sammy ____________________________ gave a necklace to his mother for her birthday.
2. I am _____________________ sure that we will meet again.
3. We were _________________________ excited about going on vacation.
4. Her sister is _____________________ ___________________________ than I have ever seen.
5. This is the ______________________ birthday party I have ever had.
6. The car __________________________ got in an accident.
7. ___________________________ I heard a rumble of thunder outside.
8. Taking a train is a _________________________ travel method than flying.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 127—2
Part 2: Underline the correct adverb to use in each sentence.
1. We survived the (bad, badly) weather on our camping trip.
2. I am (most sure, mostly sure) that my friend is coming over.
3. The audience received the play (good, well).
4. Katie’s leg is (more fragile, most fragile) since she broke it.
5. I am (real, really) excited about our trip to the fair tonight.
6. No one (never, ever) comes over to visit.
7. I don’t want (none, any) more dinner tonight.
8. Many people don’t have (no, any) heat in the winter.
Now you will continue reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Throughout her journey through Oz thus far in the novel, Dorothy has met several different friends and creatures. Other than the witches she met, how did Dorothy treat these new friends and creatures and how do you think this treatment has affected her journey thus far? How do you think this treatment will affect Dorothy in the end of the novel? Answer these engaging questions in your writing Journal in a paragraph of at least five complete sentences. Then, read silently through Chapter Fourteen of the novel and answer the Study Questions accompanying this chapter on a sheet of lined paper. Lesson Wrap-Up: In the next Lesson, you will take a test to assess your knowledge and understanding of proper adverb usage. Be sure to review any material you are less confident about.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 127—3
Chapter Fourteen Study Questions What do you know at this point about the Golden Cap?
How were the Winged Monkeys helpful to Dorothy and her friends?
What is the relationship between the Winged Monkeys and the Golden Cap?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 127—4
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 14. The Winged Monkeys You will remember there was no road—not even a pathway—between the castle of the Wicked Witch and the Emerald City. When the four travelers went in search of the Witch she had seen them coming, and so sent the Winged Monkeys to bring them to her. It was much harder to find their way back through the big fields of buttercups and yellow daisies than it was being carried. They knew, of course, they must go straight east, toward the rising sun; and they started off in the right way. But at noon, when the sun was over their heads, they did not know which was east and which was west, and that was the reason they were lost in the great fields. They kept on walking, however, and at night the moon came out and shone brightly. So they lay down among the sweet smelling yellow flowers and slept soundly until morning—all but the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman. The next morning the sun was behind a cloud, but they started on, as if they were quite sure which way they were going. “If we walk far enough,” said Dorothy, “I am sure we shall sometime come to some place.” But day by day passed away, and they still saw nothing before them but the scarlet fields. The Scarecrow began to grumble a bit. “We have surely lost our way,” he said, “and unless we find it again in time to reach the Emerald City, I shall never get my brains.” “Nor I my heart,” declared the Tin Woodman. “It seems to me I can scarcely wait till I get to Oz, and you must admit this is a very long journey.” “You see,” said the Cowardly Lion, with a whimper, “I haven’t the courage to keep tramping forever, without getting anywhere at all.” Then Dorothy lost heart. She sat down on the grass and looked at her companions, and they sat down and looked at her, and Toto found that for the first time in his life he was too tired to chase a butterfly that flew past his head. So he put out his tongue and panted and looked at Dorothy as if to ask what they should do next. “Suppose we call the field mice,” she suggested. “They could probably tell us the way to the Emerald City.” “To be sure they could,” cried the Scarecrow. “Why didn’t we think of that before?” Dorothy blew the little whistle she had always carried about her neck since the Queen of the Mice had given it to her. In a few minutes they heard the pattering of tiny feet, and many of the small gray mice came running up to her. Among them was the Queen herself, who asked, in her squeaky little voice: “What can I do for my friends?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 127—5
“We have lost our way,” said Dorothy. “Can you tell us where the Emerald City is?” “Certainly,” answered the Queen; “but it is a great way off, for you have had it at your backs all this time.” Then she noticed Dorothy’s Golden Cap, and said, “Why don’t you use the charm of the Cap, and call the Winged Monkeys to you? They will carry you to the City of Oz in less than an hour.” “I didn’t know there was a charm,” answered Dorothy, in surprise. “What is it?” “It is written inside the Golden Cap,” replied the Queen of the Mice. “But if you are going to call the Winged Monkeys we must run away, for they are full of mischief and think it great fun to plague us.” “Won’t they hurt me?” asked the girl anxiously. “Oh, no. They must obey the wearer of the Cap. Good-bye!” And she scampered out of sight, with all the mice hurrying after her. Dorothy looked inside the Golden Cap and saw some words written upon the lining. These, she thought, must be the charm, so she read the directions carefully and put the Cap upon her head. “Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke!” she said, standing on her left foot. “What did you say?” asked the Scarecrow, who did not know what she was doing. “Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo!” Dorothy went on, standing this time on her right foot. “Hello!” replied the Tin Woodman calmly. “Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik!” said Dorothy, who was now standing on both feet. This ended the saying of the charm, and they heard a great chattering and flapping of wings, as the band of Winged Monkeys flew up to them. The King bowed low before Dorothy, and asked, “What is your command?” “We wish to go to the Emerald City,” said the child, “and we have lost our way.” “We will carry you,” replied the King, and no sooner had he spoken than two of the Monkeys caught Dorothy in their arms and flew away with her. Others took the Scarecrow and the Woodman and the Lion, and one little Monkey seized Toto and flew after them, although the dog tried hard to bite him. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were rather frightened at first, for they remembered how badly the Winged Monkeys had treated them before; but they saw that no harm was intended, so they rode through the air quite cheerfully, and had a fine time looking at the pretty gardens and woods far below them.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 127—6
Dorothy found herself riding easily between two of the biggest Monkeys, one of them the King himself. They had made a chair of their hands and were careful not to hurt her. “Why do you have to obey the charm of the Golden Cap?” she asked. “That is a long story,” answered the King, with a Winged laugh; “but as we have a long journey before us, I will pass the time by telling you about it, if you wish.” “I shall be glad to hear it,” she replied. “Once,” began the leader, “we were a free people, living happily in the great forest, flying from tree to tree, eating nuts and fruit, and doing just as we pleased without calling anybody master. Perhaps some of us were rather too full of mischief at times, flying down to pull the tails of the animals that had no wings, chasing birds, and throwing nuts at the people who walked in the forest. But we were careless and happy and full of fun, and enjoyed every minute of the day. This was many years ago, long before Oz came out of the clouds to rule over this land. “There lived here then, away at the North, a beautiful princess, who was also a powerful sorceress. All her magic was used to help the people, and she was never known to hurt anyone who was good. Her name was Gayelette, and she lived in a handsome palace built from great blocks of ruby. Everyone loved her, but her greatest sorrow was that she could find no one to love in return, since all the men were much too stupid and ugly to mate with one so beautiful and wise. At last, however, she found a boy who was handsome and manly and wise beyond his years. Gayelette made up her mind that when he grew to be a man she would make him her husband, so she took him to her ruby palace and used all her magic powers to make him as strong and good and lovely as any woman could wish. When he grew to manhood, Quelala, as he was called, was said to be the best and wisest man in all the land, while his manly beauty was so great that Gayelette loved him dearly, and hastened to make everything ready for the wedding. “My grandfather was at that time the King of the Winged Monkeys which lived in the forest near Gayelette’s palace, and the old fellow loved a joke better than a good dinner. One day, just before the wedding, my grandfather was flying out with his band when he saw Quelala walking beside the river. He was dressed in a rich costume of pink silk and purple velvet, and my grandfather thought he would see what he could do. At his word the band flew down and seized Quelala, carried him in their arms until they were over the middle of the river, and then dropped him into the water. “`Swim out, my fine fellow,’ cried my grandfather, `and see if the water has spotted your clothes.’ Quelala was much too wise not to swim, and he was not in the least spoiled by all his good fortune. He laughed, when he came to the top of the water, and swam in to shore. But when Gayelette came running out to him she found his silks and velvet all ruined by the river. “The princess was angry, and she knew, of course, who did it. She had all the Winged Monkeys brought before her, and she said at first that their wings should be tied and they should be treated as they had treated Quelala, and dropped in the river. But my grandfather pleaded hard, for he knew the Monkeys would drown in the river with their wings tied, and Quelala said a kind word for them also; so that Gayelette finally spared them, on condition that the Winged Monkeys should
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 127—7
ever after do three times the bidding of the owner of the Golden Cap. This Cap had been made for a wedding present to Quelala, and it is said to have cost the princess half her kingdom. Of course my grandfather and all the other Monkeys at once agreed to the condition, and that is how it happens that we are three times the slaves of the owner of the Golden Cap, whosoever he may be.” “And what became of them?” asked Dorothy, who had been greatly interested in the story. “Quelala being the first owner of the Golden Cap,” replied the Monkey, “he was the first to lay his wishes upon us. As his bride could not bear the sight of us, he called us all to him in the forest after he had married her and ordered us always to keep where she could never again set eyes on a Winged Monkey, which we were glad to do, for we were all afraid of her. “This was all we ever had to do until the Golden Cap fell into the hands of the Wicked Witch of the West, who made us enslave the Winkies, and afterward drive Oz himself out of the Land of the West. Now the Golden Cap is yours, and three times you have the right to lay your wishes upon us.” As the Monkey King finished his story Dorothy looked down and saw the green, shining walls of the Emerald City before them. She wondered at the rapid flight of the Monkeys, but was glad the journey was over. The strange creatures set the travelers down carefully before the gate of the City, the King bowed low to Dorothy, and then flew swiftly away, followed by all his band. “That was a good ride,” said the little girl. “Yes, and a quick way out of our troubles,” replied the Lion. “How lucky it was you brought away that wonderful Cap!”
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—1
Lesson 128
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Assessment
Objective: The student will continue to read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and analyze its modern-day significance. The student will also be able to identify and use adjectives correctly in writing. Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What does it mean to say “Things aren’t always what they seem?” Extension: After reading Chapter Fifteen, ask the student to complete the following activity as an extension: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a grumpy man who will not grant the traveler’s wishes. Pretend you are Oz. Write a one page paper explaining why you cannot give the Tin Woodsman a heart. Additional Notes to the Teacher: After responding to the Engaging Question, the student will take an Adverb Assessment. This test will determine his knowledge and understanding of correct adverb usage. The student will then continue reading Chapter 15 of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and answer the corresponding Study Questions. Adverb Assessment Answer Key: Part 1- Answers may vary. Some possible answers are: Politely Quickly Most talented Sure Any Most beautiful Best More Quickly Really Part 2Any Anywhere Biggest Most daring Either is correct
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—2
Chapter Fifteen Study Questions Answer Key: Why did The Wizard of Oz finally agree to see Dorothy and her friends? [Dorothy threatened to send for the flying monkeys, of which the wizard was afraid] What is the real identity of the Wizard of Oz? [He is a small, old man] Where did he come from? [He comes from Omaha, Nebraska] What is different about the Wizard from what the people thought about him? [He is not really a wizard, but a trickster.] What do you now know about the Emerald City? [It’s not really green – it only appears so because people wear green glasses] What was Dorothy and her friends’ impression of the Wizard after they meet him in this chapter? [That he is a bad man, a “humbug.”] Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss the Adverb Assessment with the student. Take note of the student’s strengths and weaknesses when it comes to what she understands about using adverbs.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—1
Lesson 128
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Adverb Assessment
What does it mean to say “Things aren’t always what they seem?” To begin this Lesson you will take an Adverb Assessment to demonstrate to your teacher and yourself you understanding of adverbs. In this Lesson we will continue our journey through Oz by reading Chapter Fifteen entitled “The Discovery of Oz the Terrible.” You should complete your reading for this Lesson by reading silently Chapter Fifteen and completing the Study Questions that correspond to this chapter. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss the Adverb Assessment with your teacher. Take note of your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to what you understand about using adverbs.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—2
Chapter Fifteen Study Questions Why did The Wizard of Oz finally agree to see Dorothy and her friends?
What is the real identity of the Wizard of Oz?
Where did he come from?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—3
What is different about the Wizard from what the people thought about him?
What do you now know about the Emerald City?
What was Dorothy and her friends’ impression of the Wizard after they meet him in this chapter?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—4
Adverb Assessment Part 1: Use an adverb to complete each sentence. I ______________________ asked the people behind me to stop talking during the movie. Marty ________________________ answered the math problem his teacher asked him. Susan was the ______________________ ______________ singer in the talent show. We were ____________________ that the storm would knock out our power at our home. No one wants _______________________ more dinner. The __________________ ______________________ girl in the class looked like a princess. The _____________________ chicken recipe is the one my mom makes. She works on homework ____________________ frequently than her brother. We will _________________________ jump off the dock into the lake. You need to ______________________ clean up your room! Part 2: Choose the correct adverb to complete each sentence by underlining the correct form. I don’t want (any, none) of those vegetables on my plate. We won’t go (anywhere, nowhere) without our parents.
The (biggest, most biggest) boat on the water belonged to my grandpa.
Anthony was the (more daring, most daring) child in the class.
I hope that she starts feeling (well, better).
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—5
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 15. The Discovery of Oz, the Terrible The four travelers walked up to the great gate of Emerald City and rang the bell. After ringing several times, it was opened by the same Guardian of the Gates they had met before. “What! are you back again?” he asked, in surprise. “Do you not see us?” answered the Scarecrow. “But I thought you had gone to visit the Wicked Witch of the West.” “We did visit her,” said the Scarecrow. “And she let you go again?” asked the man, in wonder. “She could not help it, for she is melted,” explained the Scarecrow. “Melted! Well, that is good news, indeed,” said the man. “Who melted her?” “It was Dorothy,” said the Lion gravely. “Good gracious!” exclaimed the man, and he bowed very low indeed before her. Then he led them into his little room and locked the spectacles from the great box on all their eyes, just as he had done before. Afterward they passed on through the gate into the Emerald City. When the people heard from the Guardian of the Gates that Dorothy had melted the Wicked Witch of the West, they all gathered around the travelers and followed them in a great crowd to the Palace of Oz. The soldier with the green whiskers was still on guard before the door, but he let them in at once, and they were again met by the beautiful green girl, who showed each of them to their old rooms at once, so they might rest until the Great Oz was ready to receive them. The soldier had the news carried straight to Oz that Dorothy and the other travelers had come back again, after destroying the Wicked Witch; but Oz made no reply. They thought the Great Wizard would send for them at once, but he did not. They had no word from him the next day, nor the next, nor the next. The waiting was tiresome and wearing, and at last they grew vexed that Oz should treat them in so poor a fashion, after sending them to undergo hardships and slavery. So the Scarecrow at last asked the green girl to take another message to Oz, saying if he did not let them in to see him at once they would call the Winged Monkeys to help them, and find out whether he kept his promises or not. When the Wizard was given this message he was so frightened that he sent word for them to come to the Throne Room at four minutes after nine o’clock the next morning. He had once met the Winged Monkeys in the Land of the West, and he did not wish to meet them again. The four travelers passed a sleepless night, each thinking of the gift Oz had promised to bestow
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—6
on him. Dorothy fell asleep only once, and then she dreamed she was in Kansas, where Aunt Em was telling her how glad she was to have her little girl at home again. Promptly at nine o’clock the next morning the green-whiskered soldier came to them, and four minutes later they all went into the Throne Room of the Great Oz. Of course each one of them expected to see the Wizard in the shape he had taken before, and all were greatly surprised when they looked about and saw no one at all in the room. They kept close to the door and closer to one another, for the stillness of the empty room was more dreadful than any of the forms they had seen Oz take. Presently they heard a solemn Voice that seemed to come from somewhere near the top of the great dome, and it said: “I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Why do you seek me?” They looked again in every part of the room, and then, seeing no one, Dorothy asked, “Where are you?” “I am everywhere,” answered the Voice, “but to the eyes of common mortals I am invisible. I will now seat myself upon my throne, that you may converse with me.” Indeed, the Voice seemed just then to come straight from the throne itself; so they walked toward it and stood in a row while Dorothy said: “We have come to claim our promise, O Oz.” “What promise?” asked Oz. “You promised to send me back to Kansas when the Wicked Witch was destroyed,” said the girl. “And you promised to give me brains,” said the Scarecrow. “And you promised to give me a heart,” said the Tin Woodman. “And you promised to give me courage,” said the Cowardly Lion. “Is the Wicked Witch really destroyed?” asked the Voice, and Dorothy thought it trembled a little. “Yes,” she answered, “I melted her with a bucket of water.” “Dear me,” said the Voice, “how sudden! Well, come to me tomorrow, for I must have time to think it over.” “You’ve had plenty of time already,” said the Tin Woodman angrily. “We shan’t wait a day longer,” said the Scarecrow.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—7
“You must keep your promises to us!” exclaimed Dorothy. The Lion thought it might be as well to frighten the Wizard, so he gave a large, loud roar, which was so fierce and dreadful that Toto jumped away from him in alarm and tipped over the screen that stood in a corner. As it fell with a crash they looked that way, and the next moment all of them were filled with wonder. For they saw, standing in just the spot the screen had hidden, a little old man, with a bald head and a wrinkled face, who seemed to be as much surprised as they were. The Tin Woodman, raising his axe, rushed toward the little man and cried out, “Who are you?” “I am Oz, the Great and Terrible,” said the little man, in a trembling voice. “But don’t strike me—please don’t—and I’ll do anything you want me to.” Our friends looked at him in surprise and dismay. “I thought Oz was a great Head,” said Dorothy. “And I thought Oz was a lovely Lady,” said the Scarecrow. “And I thought Oz was a terrible Beast,” said the Tin Woodman. “And I thought Oz was a Ball of Fire,” exclaimed the Lion. “No, you are all wrong,” said the little man meekly. “I have been making believe.” “Making believe!” cried Dorothy. “Are you not a Great Wizard?” “Hush, my dear,” he said. “Don’t speak so loud, or you will be overheard—and I should be ruined. I’m supposed to be a Great Wizard.” “And aren’t you?” she asked. “Not a bit of it, my dear; I’m just a common man.” “You’re more than that,” said the Scarecrow, in a grieved tone; “you’re a humbug.” “Exactly so!” declared the little man, rubbing his hands together as if it pleased him. “I am a humbug.” “But this is terrible,” said the Tin Woodman. “How shall I ever get my heart?” “Or I my courage?” asked the Lion. “Or I my brains?” wailed the Scarecrow, wiping the tears from his eyes with his coat sleeve. “My dear friends,” said Oz, “I pray you not to speak of these little things. Think of me, and the terrible trouble I’m in at being found out.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—8
“Doesn’t anyone else know you’re a humbug?” asked Dorothy. “No one knows it but you four—and myself,” replied Oz. “I have fooled everyone so long that I thought I should never be found out. It was a great mistake my ever letting you into the Throne Room. Usually I will not see even my subjects, and so they believe I am something terrible.” “But, I don’t understand,” said Dorothy, in bewilderment. “How was it that you appeared to me as a great Head?” “That was one of my tricks,” answered Oz. “Step this way, please, and I will tell you all about it.” He led the way to a small chamber in the rear of the Throne Room, and they all followed him. He pointed to one corner, in which lay the great Head, made out of many thicknesses of paper, and with a carefully painted face. “This I hung from the ceiling by a wire,” said Oz. “I stood behind the screen and pulled a thread, to make the eyes move and the mouth open.” “But how about the voice?” she inquired. “Oh, I am a ventriloquist,” said the little man. “I can throw the sound of my voice wherever I wish, so that you thought it was coming out of the Head. Here are the other things I used to deceive you.” He showed the Scarecrow the dress and the mask he had worn when he seemed to be the lovely Lady. And the Tin Woodman saw that his terrible Beast was nothing but a lot of skins, sewn together, with slats to keep their sides out. As for the Ball of Fire, the false Wizard had hung that also from the ceiling. It was really a ball of cotton, but when oil was poured upon it the ball burned fiercely. “Really,” said the Scarecrow, “you ought to be ashamed of yourself for being such a humbug.” “I am—I certainly am,” answered the little man sorrowfully; “but it was the only thing I could do. Sit down, please, there are plenty of chairs; and I will tell you my story.” So they sat down and listened while he told the following tale. “I was born in Omaha—” “Why, that isn’t very far from Kansas!” cried Dorothy. “No, but it’s farther from here,” he said, shaking his head at her sadly. “When I grew up I became a ventriloquist, and at that I was very well trained by a great master. I can imitate any kind of a bird or beast.” Here he mewed so like a kitten that Toto pricked up his ears and looked everywhere to see where she was. “After a time,” continued Oz, “I tired of that, and became a balloonist.” “What is that?” asked Dorothy. “A man who goes up in a balloon on circus day, so as to draw a crowd of people together and
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—9
get them to pay to see the circus,” he explained. “Oh,” she said, “I know.” “Well, one day I went up in a balloon and the ropes got twisted, so that I couldn’t come down again. It went way up above the clouds, so far that a current of air struck it and carried it many, many miles away. For a day and a night I traveled through the air, and on the morning of the second day I awoke and found the balloon floating over a strange and beautiful country. “It came down gradually, and I was not hurt a bit. But I found myself in the midst of a strange people, who, seeing me come from the clouds, thought I was a great Wizard. Of course I let them think so, because they were afraid of me, and promised to do anything I wished them to. “Just to amuse myself, and keep the good people busy, I ordered them to build this City, and my Palace; and they did it all willingly and well. Then I thought, as the country was so green and beautiful, I would call it the Emerald City; and to make the name fit better I put green spectacles on all the people, so that everything they saw was green.” “But isn’t everything here green?” asked Dorothy. “No more than in any other city,” replied Oz; “but when you wear green spectacles, why of course everything you see looks green to you. The Emerald City was built a great many years ago, for I was a young man when the balloon brought me here, and I am a very old man now. But my people have worn green glasses on their eyes so long that most of them think it really is an Emerald City, and it certainly is a beautiful place, abounding in jewels and precious metals, and every good thing that is needed to make one happy. I have been good to the people, and they like me; but ever since this Palace was built, I have shut myself up and would not see any of them. “One of my greatest fears was the Witches, for while I had no magical powers at all I soon found out that the Witches were really able to do wonderful things. There were four of them in this country, and they ruled the people who live in the North and South and East and West. Fortunately, the Witches of the North and South were good, and I knew they would do me no harm; but the Witches of the East and West were terribly wicked, and had they not thought I was more powerful than they themselves, they would surely have destroyed me. As it was, I lived in deadly fear of them for many years; so you can imagine how pleased I was when I heard your house had fallen on the Wicked Witch of the East. When you came to me, I was willing to promise anything if you would only do away with the other Witch; but, now that you have melted her, I am ashamed to say that I cannot keep my promises.” “I think you are a very bad man,” said Dorothy. “Oh, no, my dear; I’m really a very good man, but I’m a very bad Wizard, I must admit.” “Can’t you give me brains?” asked the Scarecrow. “You don’t need them. You are learning something every day. A baby has brains, but it doesn’t know much. Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 128—10
the more experience you are sure to get.” “That may all be true,” said the Scarecrow, “but I shall be very unhappy unless you give me brains.” The false Wizard looked at him carefully. “Well,” he said with a sigh, “I’m not much of a magician, as I said; but if you will come to me tomorrow morning, I will stuff your head with brains. I cannot tell you how to use them, however; you must find that out for yourself.” “Oh, thank you—thank you!” cried the Scarecrow. “I’ll find a way to use them, never fear!” “But how about my courage?” asked the Lion anxiously. “You have plenty of courage, I am sure,” answered Oz. “All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.” “Perhaps I have, but I’m scared just the same,” said the Lion. “I shall really be very unhappy unless you give me the sort of courage that makes one forget he is afraid.” “Very well, I will give you that sort of courage tomorrow,” replied Oz. “How about my heart?” asked the Tin Woodman. “Why, as for that,” answered Oz, “I think you are wrong to want a heart. It makes most people unhappy. If you only knew it, you are in luck not to have a heart.” “That must be a matter of opinion,” said the Tin Woodman. “For my part, I will bear all the unhappiness without a murmur, if you will give me the heart.” “Very well,” answered Oz meekly. “Come to me tomorrow and you shall have a heart. I have played Wizard for so many years that I may as well continue the part a little longer.” “And now,” said Dorothy, “how am I to get back to Kansas?” “We shall have to think about that,” replied the little man. “Give me two or three days to consider the matter and I’ll try to find a way to carry you over the desert. In the meantime you shall all be treated as my guests, and while you live in the Palace my people will wait upon you and obey your slightest wish. There is only one thing I ask in return for my help—such as it is. You must keep my secret and tell no one I am a humbug.” They agreed to say nothing of what they had learned, and went back to their rooms in high spirits. Even Dorothy had hope that “The Great and Terrible Humbug,” as she called him, would find a way to send her back to Kansas, and if he did she was willing to forgive him everything.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 129—1
Lesson 129
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Punctuation
Objective: The student will continue to read analyze the modern-day significance of L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use appropriate types of punctuation in a sentence. Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What is your most favorite gift that you have ever received? Why? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, assign the Period Practice Worksheet. After completing the Worksheet, the student should read Chapter 16 of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and answer the Study Questions. Period Practice Answer Key: Declarative sentence Indirect question Abbreviation, declarative sentence Abbreviation, declarative sentence Imperative sentence Declarative sentence Declarative sentence Abbreviation, declarative sentence Declarative sentence Imperative sentence Declarative sentence Imperative sentence Chapter Sixteen Study Questions Answer Key: What gift did the Wizard give the Scarecrow and how did he give him this gift? Brain that he put in his head with pins and needles. What gift did the Wizard give the Tin Woodsman and how did he give him this gift? A heart that he put into his chest and sealed with a patch. What gift did the Wizard give the Cowardly Lion and how did he give him this gift? A potion that once inside would be courage. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the “Period Practice” Worksheet as a Lesson Wrap-Up.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 129—1
Lesson 129
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Punctuation
What is your most favorite gift that you have ever received? Why? In this Lesson, we will begin a mini-unit on punctuation. To begin thinking about this unit, use a scrap sheet of paper to make a list of as many different types of punctuation that you know. We will study several different types of punctuation throughout this mini-unit, beginning with the period. The period is considered the end mark of a sentence. There are three main uses for a period at the end of a sentence. A period can be used at the end of a declarative sentence which simply makes a statement. See the examples below. Example: I went to the store. Example: Tammy and Jane bought some ice cream. Example: We walked to the park. A period can be used at the end of an imperative sentence which gives a command. See the examples below. Example: Come with me. Example: See if you can find my missing shoe. Example: Tell me about your day. A period can be used at the end of an indirect question which tells how someone asked something without using the actual question in the sentence. See the examples below. Example: Sam wondered whether it would rain or not. Example: I asked him if he would go with me. Other than these three main reasons for use of a period, periods are also used after an abbreviation or after an initial. You can see this use in common abbreviations such as “Mr.”, which is short for “mister,” “Dr.”, which is short for doctor, “Jan.”, which is short for “January,” and “Mon.”, which is short for Monday. You will get an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of using periods in writing by completing the Period Practice Worksheet. As you continue reading L. Frank Baum’s novel, you will learn how Dorothy and her friends finally receive the gifts they have traveled so far to get. Read Chapter 16 and then answer the Chapter 16 Study Questions.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 129—2
Period Practice Directions: After each sentence, tell the reason for the use of a period. Possible choices could be declarative sentence, imperative sentence, indirect question sentence, or abbreviation. 1. I am amazed at how beautiful her new baby is.
2. We asked our parents if we could have our friends over this weekend.
3. My birthday is Aug. 23.
4. Mr. Sanders is the best math teacher I have ever had.
5. See if you can run as fast as I can.
6. Tom was excited about his upcoming vacation to the beach.
7. The storm blew over quickly, allowing the children to go back outside and play.
8. Gail was sick, so she made an appointment to see Dr. Thomas.
9. I asked my sister to baby-sit this weekend.
10. You need to clean your room.
11. Paul is going for a bicycle ride down the street.
12. Be careful when you ride your bike.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 129—3
Chapter Sixteen Study Questions What gift did the Wizard give the Scarecrow and how did he give him this gift?
What gift did the Wizard give the Tin Woodsman and how did he give him this gift?
What gift did the Wizard give the Cowardly Lion and how did he give him this gift?
Lesson Wrap-Up: To practice understanding the reasons periods are used in a sentence, complete the “Period Practice” handout as a Lesson Wrap-Up.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 129—4
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 16. The Magic Art of the Great Humbug Next morning the Scarecrow said to his friends: “Congratulate me. I am going to Oz to get my brains at last. When I return I shall be as other men are.” “I have always liked you as you were,” said Dorothy simply. “It is kind of you to like a Scarecrow,” he replied. “But surely you will think more of me when you hear the splendid thoughts my new brain is going to turn out.” Then he said good-bye to them all in a cheerful voice and went to the Throne Room, where he rapped upon the door. “Come in,” said Oz. The Scarecrow went in and found the little man sitting down by the window, engaged in deep thought. “I have come for my brains,” remarked the Scarecrow, a little uneasily. “Oh, yes; sit down in that chair, please,” replied Oz. “You must excuse me for taking your head off, but I shall have to do it in order to put your brains in their proper place.” “That’s all right,” said the Scarecrow. “You are quite welcome to take my head off, as long as it will be a better one when you put it on again.” So the Wizard unfastened his head and emptied out the straw. Then he entered the back room and took up a measure of bran, which he mixed with a great many pins and needles. Having shaken them together thoroughly, he filled the top of the Scarecrow’s head with the mixture and stuffed the rest of the space with straw, to hold it in place. When he had fastened the Scarecrow’s head on his body again he said to him, “Hereafter you will be a great man, for I have given you a lot of bran-new brains.” The Scarecrow was both pleased and proud at the fulfillment of his greatest wish, and having thanked Oz warmly he went back to his friends. Dorothy looked at him curiously. His head was quite bulged out at the top with brains. “How do you feel?” she asked. “I feel wise indeed,” he answered earnestly. “When I get used to my brains I shall know everything.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 129—5
“Why are those needles and pins sticking out of your head?” asked the Tin Woodman. “That is proof that he is sharp,” remarked the Lion. “Well, I must go to Oz and get my heart,” said the Woodman. So he walked to the Throne Room and knocked at the door. “Come in,” called Oz, and the Woodman entered and said, “I have come for my heart.” “Very well,” answered the little man. “But I shall have to cut a hole in your breast, so I can put your heart in the right place. I hope it won’t hurt you.” “Oh, no,” answered the Woodman. “I shall not feel it at all.” So Oz brought a pair of tinsmith’s shears and cut a small, square hole in the left side of the Tin Woodman’s breast. Then, going to a chest of drawers, he took out a pretty heart, made entirely of silk and stuffed with sawdust. “Isn’t it a beauty?” he asked “It is, indeed!” replied the Woodman, who was greatly pleased. “But is it a kind heart?” “Oh, very!” answered Oz. He put the heart in the Woodman’s breast and then replaced the square of tin, soldering it neatly together where it had been cut. “There,” said he; “now you have a heart that any man might be proud of. I’m sorry I had to put a patch on your breast, but it really couldn’t be helped.” “Never mind the patch,” exclaimed the happy Woodman. “I am very grateful to you, and shall never forget your kindness.” “Don’t speak of it,” replied Oz. Then the Tin Woodman went back to his friends, who wished him every joy on account of his good fortune. The Lion now walked to the Throne Room and knocked at the door. “Come in,” said Oz. “I have come for my courage,” announced the Lion, entering the room. “Very well,” answered the little man; “I will get it for you.” He went to a cupboard and reaching up to a high shelf took down a square green bottle, the contents of which he poured into a green-gold dish, beautifully carved. Placing this before the
STUDENT MANUAL
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Cowardly Lion, who sniffed at it as if he did not like it, the Wizard said: “Drink.” “What is it?” asked the Lion. “Well,” answered Oz, “if it were inside of you, it would be courage. You know, of course, that courage is always inside one; so that this really cannot be called courage until you have swallowed it. Therefore I advise you to drink it as soon as possible.” The Lion hesitated no longer, but drank till the dish was empty. “How do you feel now?” asked Oz. “Full of courage,” replied the Lion, who went joyfully back to his friends to tell them of his good fortune. Oz, left to himself, smiled to think of his success in giving the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Lion exactly what they thought they wanted. “How can I help being a humbug,” he said, “when all these people make me do things that everybody knows can’t be done? It was easy to make the Scarecrow and the Lion and the Woodman happy, because they imagined I could do anything. But it will take more than imagination to carry Dorothy back to Kansas, and I’m sure I don’t know how it can be done.”
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 130—1
Lesson 130
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Punctuation
Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use appropriate types of punctuation in a sentence. Materials Needed: Journal, small plastic fruit basket (such as one holding strawberries or raspberries), balloons, markers, string, glue, tape, and other art supplies Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Have you ever been homesick? Extensions: As an extension to this Lesson, after reading, provide the student with materials so that he can create a model of the hot air balloon that he read about in this chapter. The student should use a small, clean plastic fruit basket as the basket of the balloon, and then attach a decorated balloon to the basket using string to represent what she thinks the hot air balloon in the story might have looked like. Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, give a Punctuation mini-lesson by reviewing the purpose and uses of question marks and exclamation points. Then assign the Exclamation Points and Question Marks Practice Sheet. After the student has completed the Practice sheet, have him read Chapter 17 of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and answer the Chapter 17 Study Questions. Exclamation Points and Question Marks Answer Key: 1. Watch out ! That car almost hit you! 2. I can hardly wait until the last day of school. 3. Will take me for a walk, please? 4. Phew! We almost didn’t make it! 5. Why are you wearing those old jeans? 6. If you did not want my opinion, why did you ask me? 7. That fight was the scariest thing I ever saw! 8. What time is Grandpa going to arrive? 9. When will we find out who won the tennis match? 10. Martha won the Grand Championship of auto racing!
Chapter Seventeen Study Questions Answer Key: What was the wizard’s plan to help Dorothy go home? To take her in a hot air balloon. What was the wizard’s plan for the people of Emerald City when he was gone? To follow the Scarecrow’s lead. Describe the events on the day the balloon was to leave. The Wizard climbs in the basket but Dorothy cannot find Toto. The balloon takes off with only the Wizard aboard. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write a four or five sentence paragraph about what he just read. Emphasize the use of question marks and exclamation points.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 130—1
Lesson 130
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Punctuation
Have you ever been homesick? Next, we will continue our mini-unit study on punctuation. We will explore two more types of punctuation—the question mark and the exclamation mark. The question mark, denoted by this symbol (?), is used at the end of an interrogative sentence, which is a sentence that asks a question. Examine the following interrogative sentences that include question marks as their end marks. Example: When is it time to go to school? Example: How did you do on your test today? Example: Can I have an ice cream cone mom? The exclamation mark, denoted by this symbol (!), has two different uses. Sometimes, the exclamation mark is used at the end of an exclamatory sentence, which is a sentence that presents a strong feeling of emotion. In the sentences below, this is the use of the exclamation mark. Example: I am so excited about my birthday! Example: Suzy, come out of your room now! Example: I can’t believe I got an A! On other occasions, an exclamation mark is used after an interjection or other type of exclamatory statement. See the example sentences below for this use. Example: Whew! That was close. Example: Wow! You look great! Now complete the Exclamation Points and Question Marks Practice Sheet. When you are finished with the Practice Sheet, read Chapter 17 of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and answer the Chapter 17 Study Questions. As an Extension activity to the Lesson, create your own hot air balloon based upon how you envision the hot air balloon as described in Chapter 17, entitled “How the Balloon was Launched.” Lesson Wrap-Up: Write a four or five sentence paragraph about what just read. Try to create sentences that can demonstrate your understanding of exclamation points and question marks.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 130—2
Chapter Seventeen Study Questions What was the wizard’s plan to help Dorothy go home?
What was the wizard’s plan for the people of Emerald City when he was gone?
Describe the events on the day the balloon was to leave.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 130—3
Exclamation Points and Question Marks Practice Sheet Place the correct end mark at the end of each sentence. If it is an interrogatory sentence, use a question mark. If it is an exclamatory sentence or an interjection showing strong emotion, use an exclamation point.
1. Watch out ______ That car almost hit you ______
2. I can hardly wait until the last day of school ______
3. Will take me for a walk, please ______
4. Phew ______ We almost did not make it ______
5. Why are you wearing those old jeans ______
6. If you did not want my opinion, why did you ask me ______
7. That fight was the scariest thing I ever saw ______
8. What time is Grandpa going to arrive______
9. When will we find out who won the tennis match ______
10. Martha won the Grand Championship of auto racing ______
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 130—4
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 17. How the Balloon Was Launched For three days Dorothy heard nothing from Oz. These were sad days for the little girl, although her friends were all quite happy and contented. The Scarecrow told them there were wonderful thoughts in his head; but he would not say what they were because he knew no one could understand them but himself. When the Tin Woodman walked about he felt his heart rattling around in his breast; and he told Dorothy he had discovered it to be a kinder and more tender hearted than the one he had owned when he was made of flesh. The Lion declared he was afraid of nothing on earth, and would gladly face an army or a dozen of the fierce Kalidahs. Thus each of the little party was satisfied except Dorothy, who longed more than ever to get back to Kansas. On the fourth day, to her great joy, Oz sent for her, and when she entered the Throne Room he greeted her pleasantly: “Sit down, my dear; I think I have found the way to get you out of this country.” “And back to Kansas?” she asked eagerly. “Well, I’m not sure about Kansas,” said Oz, “for I haven’t the faintest notion which way it lies. But the first thing to do is to cross the desert, and then it should be easy to find your way home.” “How can I cross the desert?” she inquired. “Well, I’ll tell you what I think,” said the little man. “You see, when I came to this country it was in a balloon. You also came through the air, being carried by a cyclone. So I believe the best way to get across the desert will be through the air. Now, it is quite beyond my powers to make a cyclone; but I’ve been thinking the matter over, and I believe I can make a balloon.” “How?” asked Dorothy. “A balloon,” said Oz, “is made of silk, which is coated with glue to keep the gas in it. I have plenty of silk in the Palace, so it will be no trouble to make the balloon. But in all this country there is no gas to fill the balloon with, to make it float.” “If it won’t float,” remarked Dorothy, “it will be of no use to us.” “True,” answered Oz. “But there is another way to make it float, which is to fill it with hot air. Hot air isn’t as good as gas, for if the air should get cold the balloon would come down in the desert, and we should be lost.” “We!” exclaimed the girl. “Are you going with me?” “Yes, of course,” replied Oz. “I am tired of being such a humbug. If I should go out of this
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 130—5
Palace my people would soon discover I am not a Wizard, and then they would be vexed with me for having deceived them. So I have to stay shut up in these rooms all day, and it gets tiresome. I’d much rather go back to Kansas with you and be in a circus again.” “I shall be glad to have your company,” said Dorothy. “Thank you,” he answered. “Now, if you will help me sew the silk together, we will begin to work on our balloon.” So Dorothy took a needle and thread, and as fast as Oz cut the strips of silk into proper shape the girl sewed them neatly together. First there was a strip of light green silk, then a strip of dark green and then a strip of emerald green; for Oz had a fancy to make the balloon in different shades of the color about them. It took three days to sew all the strips together, but when it was finished they had a big bag of green silk more than twenty feet long. Then Oz painted it on the inside with a coat of thin glue, to make it airtight, after which he announced that the balloon was ready. “But we must have a basket to ride in,” he said. So he sent the soldier with the green whiskers for a big clothes basket, which he fastened with many ropes to the bottom of the balloon. When it was all ready, Oz sent word to his people that he was going to make a visit to a great brother Wizard who lived in the clouds. The news spread rapidly throughout the city and everyone came to see the wonderful sight. Oz ordered the balloon carried out in front of the Palace, and the people gazed upon it with much curiosity. The Tin Woodman had chopped a big pile of wood, and now he made a fire of it, and Oz held the bottom of the balloon over the fire so that the hot air that arose from it would be caught in the silken bag. Gradually the balloon swelled out and rose into the air, until finally the basket just touched the ground. Then Oz got into the basket and said to all the people in a loud voice: “I am now going away to make a visit. While I am gone the Scarecrow will rule over you. I command you to obey him as you would me.” The balloon was by this time tugging hard at the rope that held it to the ground, for the air within it was hot, and this made it so much lighter in weight than the air without that it pulled hard to rise into the sky. “Come, Dorothy!” cried the Wizard. “Hurry up, or the balloon will fly away.” “I can’t find Toto anywhere,” replied Dorothy, who did not wish to leave her little dog behind. Toto had run into the crowd to bark at a kitten, and Dorothy at last found him. She picked him up and ran towards the balloon.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 130—6
She was within a few steps of it, and Oz was holding out his hands to help her into the basket, when, crack! went the ropes, and the balloon rose into the air without her. “Come back!” she screamed. “I want to go, too!” “I can’t come back, my dear,” called Oz from the basket. “Good-bye!” “Good-bye!” shouted everyone, and all eyes were turned upward to where the Wizard was riding in the basket, rising every moment farther and farther into the sky. And that was the last any of them ever saw of Oz, the Wonderful Wizard, though he may have reached Omaha safely, and be there now, for all we know. But the people remembered him lovingly, and said to one another: “Oz was always our friend. When he was here he built for us this beautiful Emerald City, and now he is gone he has left the Wise Scarecrow to rule over us.” Still, for many days they grieved over the loss of the Wonderful Wizard, and would not be comforted.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 131—1
Lesson 131
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Studying the Comma
Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use appropriate types of punctuation in a sentence. Key Vocabulary: Modestly Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Would you have left Oz in the balloon as Dorothy did? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, you will present a Mini-Lesson on the standard usage of the comma. The student will have the opportunity to practice this new skill. He will then read Chapter Eighteen of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and respond to the corresponding Study Questions. Comma Practice One Answer Key: The smelly, ugly bug scared me in my bedroom. Happily, I gave my mother her birthday present. I will need to bring a new notebook, pencil, calculator, and eraser to take my test today. We were scared to ride the haunted house ride, however, we got on and had a lot of fun. You are so lucky to be married to that smart, successful woman. My refrigerator is full of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products; they are all healthy foods. Based upon the news report, the weather tomorrow is going to be beautiful. Amazingly, the tornado did not destroy any of the house. We should buy a new car that has a CD player, sunroof, and air conditioning. The small, quiet baby watched the others in the nursery.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 131—2
Chapter Eighteen Study Questions Answer Key: What is the significance of the title of this chapter, “Away to the South?” The characters are heading to the South to seek out Glinda the Good Witch. What was the role of the winged monkeys in this chapter? They are unable to grant Dorothy her second wish because they are unable to leave the country. How helpful were the winged monkeys to Dorothy in this chapter? They are completely unhelpful. What suggestion was made to Dorothy to help her? By whom was the suggestion made? The solider with the green whiskers suggest that Dorothy call upon Glinda for help. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the Comma Practice One handout.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 131—1
Lesson 131
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Studying the Comma
Would you have left Oz in the balloon as Dorothy did? In this Lesson, we will continue our study of punctuation by beginning to examine the various uses of a comma, represented by the symbol (,). The comma has many different uses; we will examine the first three uses of a comma in this Lesson. The comma is used to separate items in a series, which is a list of three or more items. For example, if you are listing the items you bought at the grocery store, and this list includes three or more items, you would need to use a comma between each item, except the last item. Items in a series could also include two or more adjectives, which we have previously studied, which describe the same noun. Examine the sentences below, which display the use of a comma in a series. Example: I went to the store and bought milk, bread, eggs, and cereal. This sentence above is an example of a list of three or more items that need to be separated by commas. Example: We will need to pack our tent, cooking supplies, and sleeping bags to go camping. This sentence above is an example of a list of three or more items which need to be separated by commas. Example: She is a beautiful, smart girl in my class. This sentence above is an example of a list of two adjectives which modify the same noun and must be separated by a comma. A comma also must be used when a sentence includes an introductory word or phrase that needs to be separated from the rest of the sentence. For example, examine the sentences below. Example: Finally, we arrived at our destination. The word “finally” is an introductory word in this sentence. Example: After we went swimming, I took a nap because I was tired. The phrase “after we went swimming” is an introductory phrase that has to be separated by a comma in this sentence. The third use of a comma is to separate a word or phrase that interrupts or breaks the flow of a sentence. Often, the word “however” is an example of this type of word or phrase and is separated by two commas, one before the word or phrase, and one after. Example: I am excited to go, however, I am still nervous.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 131—2
You will have an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of this later in the Lesson. Now, you will continue your reading through L. Frank Baum’s novel by reading silently Chapter Eighteen of the novel. You should also complete the Study Questions that correspond to this chapter after your have completed your reading. Lesson Wrap-Up: To practice working with these three uses of a comma, complete the Comma Practice One handout.
Chapter Eighteen Study Questions What is the significance of the title of this chapter, “Away to the South?”
What was the role of the winged monkeys in this chapter?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 131—3
How helpful were the winged monkeys to Dorothy in this chapter?
What suggestion was made to Dorothy to help her? By whom was the suggestion made?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 131—4
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 18. Away to the South Dorothy wept bitterly at the passing of her hope to get home to Kansas again; but when she thought it all over she was glad she had not gone up in a balloon. And she also felt sorry at losing Oz, and so did her companions. The Tin Woodman came to her and said: “Truly I should be ungrateful if I failed to mourn for the man who gave me my lovely heart. I should like to cry a little because Oz is gone, if you will kindly wipe away my tears, so that I shall not rust.” “With pleasure,” she answered, and brought a towel at once. Then the Tin Woodman wept for several minutes, and she watched the tears carefully and wiped them away with the towel. When he had finished, he thanked her kindly and oiled himself thoroughly with his jeweled oil-can, to guard against mishap. The Scarecrow was now the ruler of the Emerald City, and although he was not a Wizard the people were proud of him. “For,” they said, “there is not another city in all the world that is ruled by a stuffed man.” And, so far as they knew, they were quite right. The morning after the balloon had gone up with Oz, the four travelers met in the Throne Room and talked matters over. The Scarecrow sat in the big throne and the others stood respectfully before him. “We are not so unlucky,” said the new ruler, “for this Palace and the Emerald City belong to us, and we can do just as we please. When I remember that a short time ago I was up on a pole in a farmer’s cornfield, and that now I am the ruler of this beautiful City, I am quite satisfied with my lot.” “I also,” said the Tin Woodman, “am well-pleased with my new heart; and, really, that was the only thing I wished in all the world.” “For my part, I am content in knowing I am as brave as any beast that ever lived, if not braver,” said the Lion modestly. “If Dorothy would only be contented to live in the Emerald City,” continued the Scarecrow, “we might all be happy together.” “But I don’t want to live here,” cried Dorothy. “I want to go to Kansas, and live with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.” “Well, then, what can be done?” inquired the Woodman. The Scarecrow decided to think, and he thought so hard that the pins and needles began to stick
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 131—5
out of his brains. Finally he said: “Why not call the Winged Monkeys, and ask them to carry you over the desert?” “I never thought of that!” said Dorothy joyfully. “It’s just the thing. I’ll go at once for the Golden Cap.” When she brought it into the Throne Room she spoke the magic words, and soon the band of Winged Monkeys flew in through the open window and stood beside her. “This is the second time you have called us,” said the Monkey King, bowing before the little girl. “What do you wish?” “I want you to fly with me to Kansas,” said Dorothy. But the Monkey King shook his head. “That cannot be done,” he said. “We belong to this country alone, and cannot leave it. There has never been a Winged Monkey in Kansas yet, and I suppose there never will be, for they don’t belong there. We shall be glad to serve you in any way in our power, but we cannot cross the desert. Good-bye.” And with another bow, the Monkey King spread his wings and flew away through the window, followed by all his band. Dorothy was ready to cry with disappointment. “I have wasted the charm of the Golden Cap to no purpose,” she said, “for the Winged Monkeys cannot help me.” “It is certainly too bad!” said the tender-hearted Woodman. The Scarecrow was thinking again, and his head bulged out so horribly that Dorothy feared it would burst. “Let us call in the soldier with the green whiskers,” he said, “and ask his advice.” So the soldier was summoned and entered the Throne Room timidly, for while Oz was alive he never was allowed to come farther than the door. “This little girl,” said the Scarecrow to the soldier, “wishes to cross the desert. How can she do so?” “I cannot tell,” answered the soldier, “for nobody has ever crossed the desert, unless it is Oz himself.” “Is there no one who can help me?” asked Dorothy earnestly. “Glinda might,” he suggested. “Who is Glinda?” inquired the Scarecrow.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 131—6
“The Witch of the South. She is the most powerful of all the Witches, and rules over the Quadlings. Besides, her castle stands on the edge of the desert, so she may know a way to cross it.” “Glinda is a Good Witch, isn’t she?” asked the child. “The Quadlings think she is good,” said the soldier, “and she is kind to everyone. I have heard that Glinda is a beautiful woman, who knows how to keep young in spite of the many years she has lived.” “How can I get to her castle?” asked Dorothy. “The road is straight to the South,” he answered, “but it is said to be full of dangers to travelers. There are wild beasts in the woods, and a race of [unusual] men who do not like strangers to cross their country. For this reason none of the Quadlings ever come to the Emerald City.” The soldier then left them and the Scarecrow said: “It seems, in spite of dangers, that the best thing Dorothy can do is to travel to the Land of the South and ask Glinda to help her. For, of course, if Dorothy stays here she will never get back to Kansas.” “You must have been thinking again,” remarked the Tin Woodman. “I have,” said the Scarecrow. “I shall go with Dorothy,” declared the Lion, “for I am tired of your city and long for the woods and the country again. I am really a wild beast, you know. Besides, Dorothy will need someone to protect her.” “That is true,” agreed the Woodman. “My axe may be of service to her; so I also will go with her to the Land of the South.” “When shall we start?” asked the Scarecrow. “Are you going?” they asked, in surprise. “Certainly. If it wasn’t for Dorothy I should never have had brains. She lifted me from the pole in the cornfield and brought me to the Emerald City. So my good luck is all due to her, and I shall never leave her until she starts back to Kansas for good and all.” “Thank you,” said Dorothy gratefully. “You are all very kind to me. But I should like to start as soon as possible.” “We shall go tomorrow morning,” returned the Scarecrow. “So now let us all get ready, for it will be a long journey.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 131—7
Comma Practice One Directions: In each sentence below, place commas where they are needed. The smelly ugly bug scared me in my bedroom.
Happily I gave my mother her birthday present.
I will need to bring a new notebook pencil calculator and eraser to take my test today.
We were scared to ride the haunted house ride however we got on and had a lot of fun.
You are so lucky to be married to that smart successful woman.
My refrigerator is full of fruit vegetables and dairy products; they are all healthy foods.
Based upon the news report the weather tomorrow is going to be beautiful.
Amazingly the tornado did not destroy any of the house.
We should buy a new car that has a CD player sunroof and air conditioning.
The small quiet baby watched the others in the nursery
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 132—1
Lesson 132
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Studying the Comma
Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use appropriate types of punctuation in a sentence. Key Vocabulary: Abundant, Assemblage, Vexed Materials Needed: Journal, copies of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Have you ever had to overcome an obstacle in your life? What was the obstacle and how did you overcome it? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, you will present a Mini-Lesson on the standard comma usage. The student will have the opportunity to practice this new skill. She will then read Chapter Nineteen of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and respond to the corresponding Study Questions. Comma Practice Two Answer Key:
135 Capulet Street Andover, Michigan 48196 May 6, 1997 Dear Mrs. Smith, I am writing to you to invite your family to the upcoming surprise party I am holding for my brother, Steven. Steven will be turning sixteen years old and is sad because he does not think he is having a birthday party, however, I have other plans to surprise him. Steven, my favorite sibling, deserves to have something special. I am requesting all party attendees to bring their favorite soda pop, dessert, and a small gift or present for my brother. Some of his favorite things are video games, comic books, and surfing so this will give you some gift ideas. I look forward to you celebrating with us on Steven’s special day. Your friend, Sally Cooper
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 132—2
Chapter Nineteen Study Questions Answer Key: What happened to Dorothy and her friends as they traveled in this chapter to see Glinda? The Scarecrow is grabbed by some trees and tossed to the ground. The trees will not let them pass. How did they overcome this obstacle? The Tin Woodman chopped the tree and its branches. When they arrived at the end of the forest, what obstacle did Dorothy and the travelers encounter? A white wall that appears to be made out of china. How did they overcome this obstacle? They decide to make a latter. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the “Comma Practice Two” to practice using the comma based upon the final three important uses discussed in this Lesson.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 132—1
Lesson 132
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Studying the Comma
Have you ever had to overcome an obstacle in your life? What was the obstacle and how did you overcome it? In the previous Lesson, you learned the first three uses of the comma as a punctuation mark. In this Lesson, you will be able to examine the final three uses of the comma. The comma is used when a noun is used as a direct address. In this case, the noun would be naming the person or persons being spoken to in the sentence. Below are a few examples of this type of sentence. Example: Shirley, can you please tell me what you want to eat? Example: How many times, Sam, did you brush your teeth today? The comma is also used to set off an appositive, which is a word or phrase that identifies or renames a noun or pronoun that comes right before it. See the example sentences below for this usage. Example: Mary Smith, the famous author, was signing her book at the bookstore today. The appositive in the sentence above is “the famous author”, a phrase explaining who Mary Smith is. Example: Sam, my best friend, is coming over for dinner tonight. The appositive in the sentence above is “my best friend”, a phrase explaining who Sam is. The final important use of a comma can be seen when writing a formal letter. There are several places when writing a letter that a comma is necessary. In the date of a letter, a comma is needed between the day and the year. In the address of a letter, a comma is needed between the city and the state. In the greeting and closing of a letter, a comma is needed after the greeting or salutation, and after the closing. It is important to note, however, that commas are also needed throughout the body of a letter whenever any of the five previous uses require a comma. You will be given the opportunity to practice this later in the Lesson.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 132—2
Next, continue your reading of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by reading Chapter Nineteen silently and then completing the Study Questions corresponding to this chapter on a separate sheet of paper. Lesson Wrap-Up: Complete the “Comma Practice Two” to practice using the comma based upon the final three important uses discussed in this Lesson.
Chapter Nineteen Study Questions What happened to Dorothy and her friends as they traveled in this chapter to see Glinda?
How did they overcome this obstacle?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 132—3
When they arrived at the end of the forest, what obstacle did Dorothy and the travelers encounter?
How did they overcome this obstacle?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 132—4
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 19. Attacked by the Fighting Trees The next morning Dorothy kissed the pretty green girl good-bye, and they all shook hands with the soldier with the green whiskers, who had walked with them as far as the gate. When the Guardian of the Gate saw them again he wondered greatly that they could leave the beautiful City to get into new trouble. But he at once unlocked their spectacles, which he put back into the green box, and gave them many good wishes to carry with them. “You are now our ruler,” he said to the Scarecrow; “so you must come back to us as soon as possible.” “I certainly shall if I am able,” the Scarecrow replied; “but I must help Dorothy to get home, first.” As Dorothy bade the good-natured Guardian a last farewell she said: “I have been very kindly treated in your lovely City, and everyone has been good to me. I cannot tell you how grateful I am.” “Don’t try, my dear,” he answered. “We should like to keep you with us, but if it is your wish to return to Kansas, I hope you will find a way.” He then opened the gate of the outer wall, and they walked forth and started upon their journey. The sun shone brightly as our friends turned their faces toward the Land of the South. They were all in the best of spirits, and laughed and chatted together. Dorothy was once more filled with the hope of getting home, and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were glad to be of use to her. As for the Lion, he sniffed the fresh air with delight and whisked his tail from side to side in pure joy at being in the country again, while Toto ran around them and chased the moths and butterflies, barking merrily all the time. “City life does not agree with me at all,” remarked the Lion, as they walked along at a brisk pace. “I have lost much flesh since I lived there, and now I am anxious for a chance to show the other beasts how courageous I have grown.” They now turned and took a last look at the Emerald City. All they could see was a mass of towers and steeples behind the green walls, and high up above everything the spires and dome of the Palace of Oz. “Oz was not such a bad Wizard, after all,” said the Tin Woodman, as he felt his heart rattling around in his breast. “He knew how to give me brains, and very good brains, too,” said the Scarecrow. “If Oz had taken a dose of the same courage he gave me,” added the Lion, “he would have been a brave man.” Dorothy said nothing. Oz had not kept the promise he made her, but he had done his best, so
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 132—5
she forgave him. As he said, he was a good man, even if he was a bad Wizard. The first day’s journey was through the green fields and bright flowers that stretched about the Emerald City on every side. They slept that night on the grass, with nothing but the stars over them; and they rested very well indeed. In the morning they traveled on until they came to a thick wood. There was no way of going around it, for it seemed to extend to the right and left as far as they could see; and, besides, they did not dare change the direction of their journey for fear of getting lost. So they looked for the place where it would be easiest to get into the forest. The Scarecrow, who was in the lead, finally discovered a big tree with such wide-spreading branches that there was room for the party to pass underneath. So he walked forward to the tree, but just as he came under the first branches they bent down and twined around him, and the next minute he was raised from the ground and flung headlong among his fellow travelers. This did not hurt the Scarecrow, but it surprised him, and he looked rather dizzy when Dorothy picked him up. “Here is another space between the trees,” called the Lion. “Let me try it first,” said the Scarecrow, “for it doesn’t hurt me to get thrown about.” He walked up to another tree, as he spoke, but its branches immediately seized him and tossed him back again. “This is strange,” exclaimed Dorothy. “What shall we do?” “The trees seem to have made up their minds to fight us, and stop our journey,” remarked the Lion. “I believe I will try it myself,” said the Woodman, and shouldering his axe, he marched up to the first tree that had handled the Scarecrow so roughly. When a big branch bent down to seize him the Woodman chopped at it so fiercely that he cut it in two. At once the tree began shaking all its branches as if in pain, and the Tin Woodman passed safely under it. “Come on!” he shouted to the others. “Be quick!” They all ran forward and passed under the tree without injury, except Toto, who was caught by a small branch and shaken until he howled. But the Woodman promptly chopped off the branch and set the little dog free. The other trees of the forest did nothing to keep them back, so they made up their minds that only the first row of trees could bend down their branches, and that probably these were the policemen of the forest, and given this wonderful power in order to keep strangers out of it. The four travelers walked with ease through the trees until they came to the farther edge of the wood. Then, to their surprise, they found before them a high wall which seemed to be made of white china. It was smooth, like the surface of a dish, and higher than their heads. “What shall we do now?” asked Dorothy. “I will make a ladder,” said the Tin Woodman, “for we certainly must climb over the wall.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 132—6
Comma Practice Two Directions: Examine the letter written below and insert a comma wherever necessary.
135 Capulet Street Andover Michigan 48196 May 6 1997
Dear Mrs. Smith I am writing to you to invite your family to the upcoming surprise party I am holding for my brother Steven. Steven will be turning sixteen years old and is sad because he does not think he is having a birthday party however I have other plans to surprise him. Steven my favorite sibling deserves to have something special for this special day and I want to give him that special day.
I am requesting all party attendees to bring their favorite soda pop dessert and a small gift or present for my brother. Some of his favorite things are video games comic books and surfing so this will give you some gift ideas. I look forward to you celebrating with us on Steven’s special day.
Your friend Sally Cooper
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 133—1
Lesson 133 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Quotation Marks Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use quotation marks in a sentence. Key Vocabulary: Shepherdess, Ermine, Doublet Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Can you think of a special item that you have brought back from a vacation in the past? What was it? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to an Engaging Question, you will present a Mini-Lesson about quotation marks. The student will have the opportunity to practice this new skill. He will then continue reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and respond to the corresponding Study Questions. At the end of the Lesson, the student will locate twenty-five quotations from the text. Chapter Twenty Study Questions Answer Key: What occurred when Dorothy and her friends scared the cow? The cow’s leg came off, the milk pail broke and the milkmaid broke a piece of her elbow. What problem did the Lion cause in this chapter? Smashed a china church to pieces with his tail. What did Dorothy want to bring back from this journey? China Princess. Did she get her wish? Why or why not? No, the princess explained that she was happy in her town and that if she was taken and placed in display or china cabinet her joints would lock into place and she would be unable to move. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student re-read Chapter 20 with a blank sheet of paper at the ready. For each quotation have her copy the quote, and state whether it is a direct or indirect quotation. If it is a direct quotation, be sure she states whether it is a divided quotation or not.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 133—1
Lesson 133
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Quotation Marks
Can you think of a special item that you have brought back from a vacation in the past? What was it? We will now continue our study of punctuation by studying the quotation mark and its two main usages. Quotation marks are important to use in direct quotations and divided quotations, and are denoted by this symbol (“), but they are not used in indirect quotations. Direct quotations represent the exact words of a speaker. Examine the examples below of direct quotations in which this type of punctuation is used. Example: “I am ready to go,” said Mom. Example: Amy shouted, “That was close!” Example: “Can we get some ice cream tonight?” asked Sammy. Indirect quotations do not include quotation marks because they tell what someone is saying in different words. Examine the following examples. Example: The crowd yelled for the singer to begin performing. Example: Suzanne said that she was scared of the storm. Divided quotations are ones in which a direct quotation is divided into two parts. It is common to see the words “he said” or “she said” in between the two parts of this type of quotation. Example: “Our class,” the teacher said, “is taking a field trip tomorrow!” Example: “You need to clean your room,” his mother said, “or you will not get any dessert tonight.” You will be given the opportunity to practice using quotation marks later in the Lesson. Now we will continue our journey through L. Frank Baum’s novel as you read Chapter Twenty. Begin by reading this chapter silently, and then test your knowledge of what you read as you answer the Study Questions that correspond to this chapter.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 133—2
Chapter Twenty Study Questions What occurred when Dorothy and her friends scared the cow?
What problem did the Lion cause in this chapter?
What did Dorothy want to bring back from this journey?
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 133—3
Did she get her wish? Why or why not?
Lesson Wrap-Up: To practice using quotation marks, get a blank sheet of lined paper and your copy of the novel. Reread Chapter Twenty of the novel and find quotations throughout the chapter. For each quotation, copy the quote on the lined paper, rewrite each quotation, and then write whether the quotation is direct or indirect. If the quotation is direct, state if it also is a divided quotation.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 133—4
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 20. The Dainty China Country While the Woodman was making a ladder from wood which he found in the forest Dorothy lay down and slept, for she was tired by the long walk. The Lion also curled himself up to sleep and Toto lay beside him. The Scarecrow watched the Woodman while he worked, and said to him: “I cannot think why this wall is here, nor what it is made of.” “Rest your brains and do not worry about the wall,” replied the Woodman. “When we have climbed over it, we shall know what is on the other side.” After a time the ladder was finished. It looked clumsy, but the Tin Woodman was sure it was strong and would answer their purpose. The Scarecrow waked Dorothy and the Lion and Toto, and told them that the ladder was ready. The Scarecrow climbed up the ladder first, but he was so awkward that Dorothy had to follow close behind and keep him from falling off. When he got his head over the top of the wall the Scarecrow said, “Oh, my!” “Go on,” exclaimed Dorothy.So the Scarecrow climbed farther up and sat down on the top of the wall, and Dorothy put her head over and cried, “Oh, my!” just as the Scarecrow had done. Then Toto came up, and immediately began to bark, but Dorothy made him be still. The Lion climbed the ladder next, and the Tin Woodman came last; but both of them cried, “Oh, my!” as soon as they looked over the wall. When they were all sitting in a row on the top of the wall, they looked down and saw a strange sight. Before them was a great stretch of country having a floor as smooth and shining and white as the bottom of a big platter. Scattered around were many houses made entirely of china and painted in the brightest colors. These houses were quite small, the biggest of them reaching only as high as Dorothy’s waist. There were also pretty little barns, with china fences around them; and many cows and sheep and horses and pigs and chickens, all made of china, were standing about in groups. But the strangest of all were the people who lived in this [odd] country. There were milkmaids and shepherdesses, with brightly colored bodices and golden spots all over their gowns; and princesses with most gorgeous frocks of silver and gold and purple; and shepherds dressed in knee breeches with pink and yellow and blue stripes down them, and golden buckles on their shoes; and princes with jeweled crowns upon their heads, wearing ermine robes and satin doublets; and funny clowns in ruffled gowns, with round red spots upon their cheeks and tall, pointed caps. And, strangest of all, these people were all made of china, even to their clothes, and were so small that the tallest of them was no higher than Dorothy’s knee. No one did so much as look at the travelers at first, except one little purple china dog with an
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extra-large head, which came to the wall and barked at them in a tiny voice, afterwards running away again. “How shall we get down?” asked Dorothy. They found the ladder so heavy they could not pull it up, so the Scarecrow fell off the wall and the others jumped down upon him so that the hard floor would not hurt their feet. Of course they took pains not to light on his head and get the pins in their feet. When all were safely down they picked up the Scarecrow, whose body was quite flattened out, and patted his straw into shape again. “We must cross this strange place in order to get to the other side,” said Dorothy, “for it would be unwise for us to go any other way except due South.” They began walking through the country of the china people, and the first thing they came to was a china milkmaid milking a china cow. As they drew near, the cow suddenly gave a kick and kicked over the stool, the pail, and even the milkmaid herself, and all fell on the china ground with a great clatter. Dorothy was shocked to see that the cow had broken her leg off, and that the pail was lying in several small pieces, while the poor milkmaid had a nick in her left elbow. “There!” cried the milkmaid angrily. “See what you have done! My cow has broken her leg, and I must take her to the mender’s shop and have it glued on again. What do you mean by coming here and frightening my cow?” “I’m very sorry,” returned Dorothy. “Please forgive us.” But the pretty milkmaid was much too vexed to make any answer. She picked up the leg sulkily and led her cow away, the poor animal limping on three legs. As she left them the milkmaid cast many reproachful glances over her shoulder at the clumsy strangers, holding her nicked elbow close to her side. Dorothy was quite grieved at this mishap. “We must be very careful here,” said the kind-hearted Woodman, “or we may hurt these pretty little people so they will never get over it.” A little farther on Dorothy met a most beautifully dressed young Princess, who stopped short as she saw the strangers and started to run away. Dorothy wanted to see more of the Princess, so she ran after her. But the china girl cried out: “Don’t chase me! Don’t chase me!” She had such a frightened little voice that Dorothy stopped and said, “Why not?”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 133—6
“Because,” answered the Princess, also stopping, a safe distance away, “if I run I may fall down and break myself.” “But could you not be mended?” asked the girl. “Oh, yes; but one is never so pretty after being mended, you know, “replied the Princess. “I suppose not,” said Dorothy. “Now there is Mr. Joker, one of our clowns,” continued the china lady, “who is always trying to stand upon his head. He has broken himself so often that he is mended in a hundred places, and doesn’t look at all pretty. Here he comes now, so you can see for yourself.” Indeed, a jolly little clown came walking toward them, and Dorothy could see that in spite of his pretty clothes of red and yellow and green he was completely covered with cracks, running every which way and showing plainly that he had been mended in many places. The Clown put his hands in his pockets, and after puffing out his cheeks and nodding his head at them saucily, he said: “My lady fair, Why do you stare At poor old Mr. Joker? You’re quite as stiff And prim as if You’d eaten up a poker!” “Be quiet, sir!” said the Princess. “Can’t you see these are strangers, and should be treated with respect?” “Well, that’s respect, I expect,” declared the Clown, and immediately stood upon his head. “Don’t mind Mr. Joker,” said the Princess to Dorothy. “He is considerably cracked in his head, and that makes him foolish.” “Oh, I don’t mind him a bit,” said Dorothy. “But you are so beautiful,” she continued, “that I am sure I could love you dearly. Won’t you let me carry you back to Kansas, and stand you on Aunt Em’s mantel? I could carry you in my basket.” “That would make me very unhappy,” answered the china Princess. “You see, here in our country we live contentedly, and can talk and move around as we please. But whenever any of us are taken away our joints at once stiffen, and we can only stand straight and look pretty. Of course that is all that is expected of us when we are on mantels and cabinets and drawing-room tables, but our lives are much pleasanter here in our own country.” “I would not make you unhappy for all the world!” exclaimed Dorothy.”So I’ll just say good-bye.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 133—7
“Good-bye,” replied the Princess. They walked carefully through the china country. The little animals and all the people scampered out of their way, fearing the strangers would break them, and after an hour or so the travelers reached the other side of the country and came to another china wall. It was not so high as the first, however, and by standing upon the Lion’s back they all managed to scramble to the top. Then the Lion gathered his legs under him and jumped on the wall; but just as he jumped, he upset a china church with his tail and smashed it all to pieces. “That was too bad,” said Dorothy, “but really I think we were lucky in not doing these little people more harm than breaking a cow’s leg and a church. They are all so brittle!” “They are, indeed,” said the Scarecrow, “and I am thankful I am made of straw and cannot be easily damaged. There are worse things in the world than being a Scarecrow.”
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 134—1
Lesson 134
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Semicolons
Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use the semicolon in a sentence. Key Vocabulary: Proverb, Bogs, Rank, Comrades Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Does power change a person? What are some historical examples that you can think of to support this? (Example could be Hitler) Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question, you will present a Mini-Lesson about semicolons. She will then continue reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and respond to the corresponding Study Questions. At the end of the Lesson the student will examine a short list of proverbs and relate one of the proverbs to a character from the novel. Chapter Twenty-One Study Questions Answer Key: Describe the events of this chapter. The group climbs down from the China wall and ends up in a country full of bogs and marshes. They come across a group of wild animals holding a meeting about a monster in the region. What did the Lion have to do in order to gain power? Kill the spider-like monster. What power did the Lion earn in this chapter? To become the animal's King and rule them. Describe in detail what the monster in this chapter looked like. It looks like a giant spider, with a body as big as an elephant and eight legs as long as a tree trunk. Lesson Wrap-Up: Five common proverbs are presented at the end of this Lesson. Have the student try to think of a character within the book to whom the proverb could be applied, and then have the student write a short paragraph (3–5 sentences) explaining how that proverb applies. The presented proverbs are: Don’t cry over spilled milk. Still waters run deep. Let sleeping dogs lie. Actions speak louder than words. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 134—1
Lesson 134
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Semicolons
Does power change a person? What are some historical examples that you can think of to support this. In this Lesson, you will learn about semicolons. A semicolon is an often under used form of punctuation, and is represented by the symbol (;). A semicolon is used to separate two parts of a sentence, much like a comma, but is not as strong as a period in a sentence. Semicolons are used in two ways: In a compound sentence to join the two parts without using a coordinating conjunction, such as “and” or “but.” The two parts of the compound sentence should be related in subject matter. Example: We walked fast; we wanted to get to the store before it rained. Example: I smiled at him; it had been a long time since we had seen each other. In a series to separate the items when commas are already being used within the series. Example: Animals from several continents were represented at the zoo, including polar bears, buffalo, and prairie dogs from North America; giraffes, elephants, and lemurs from Africa; and monkeys, snakes, and birds from South America. Now it is your turn. Write a paragraph containing five sentences; three of these should contain semicolons. Make it fun! We are nearing the end of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. For this Lesson, you will read Chapter Twenty-One and answer the Study Questions that correspond to this chapter. Lesson Wrap-Up: Examine the following five common proverbs. Try to think of a character in the novel that the proverb could be related to. Then, write a short paragraph explanation of how the proverb could be applied to the character in the novel. Don’t cry over spilled milk. Still waters run deep. Let sleeping dogs lie. Actions speak louder than words. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 134—2
Chapter Twenty–One Study Questions Describe the events of this chapter.
What did the Lion have to do in order to gain power?
What power did the Lion earn in this chapter?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 134—3
Describe in detail what the monster in this chapter looked like.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 134—4
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 21. The Lion Becomes the King of Beasts After climbing down from the china wall the travelers found themselves in a disagreeable country, full of bogs and marshes and covered with tall, rank grass. It was difficult to walk without falling into muddy holes, for the grass was so thick that it hid them from sight. However, by carefully picking their way, they got safely along until they reached solid ground. But here the country seemed wilder than ever, and after a long and tiresome walk through the underbrush they entered another forest, where the trees were bigger and older than any they had ever seen. “This forest is perfectly delightful,” declared the Lion, looking around him with joy. “Never have I seen a more beautiful place.” “It seems gloomy,” said the Scarecrow. “Not a bit of it,” answered the Lion. “I should like to live here all my life. See how soft the dried leaves are under your feet and how rich and green the moss is that clings to these old trees. Surely no wild beast could wish a pleasanter home.” “Perhaps there are wild beasts in the forest now,” said Dorothy. “I suppose there are,” returned the Lion, “but I do not see any of them about.” They walked through the forest until it became too dark to go any farther. Dorothy and Toto and the Lion lay down to sleep, while the Woodman and the Scarecrow kept watch over them as usual. When morning came, they started again. Before they had gone far they heard a low rumble, as of the growling of many wild animals. Toto whimpered a little, but none of the others was frightened, and they kept along the well-trodden path until they came to an opening in the wood, in which were gathered hundreds of beasts of every variety. There were tigers and elephants and bears and wolves and foxes and all the others in the natural history, and for a moment Dorothy was afraid. But the Lion explained that the animals were holding a meeting, and he judged by their snarling and growling that they were in great trouble. As he spoke several of the beasts caught sight of him, and at once the great assemblage hushed as if by magic. The biggest of the tigers came up to the Lion and bowed, saying: “Welcome, O King of Beasts! You have come in good time to fight our enemy and bring peace to all the animals of the forest once more.” “What is your trouble?” asked the Lion quietly. “We are all threatened,” answered the tiger, “by a fierce enemy which has lately come into this forest. It is a most tremendous monster, like a great spider, with a body as big as an elephant and legs as long as a tree trunk. It has eight of these long legs, and as the monster crawls through the forest he seizes an animal with a leg and drags it to his mouth, where he eats it as a spider does a fly.
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SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 134—5
Not one of us is safe while this fierce creature is alive, and we had called a meeting to decide how to take care of ourselves when you came among us.” The Lion thought for a moment. “Are there any other lions in this forest?” he asked. “No; there were some, but the monster has eaten them all. And, besides, they were none of them nearly so large and brave as you.” “If I put an end to your enemy, will you bow down to me and obey me as King of the Forest?” inquired the Lion. “We will do that gladly,” returned the tiger; and all the other beasts roared with a mighty roar: “We will!” “Where is this great spider of yours now?” asked the Lion. “Yonder, among the oak trees,” said the tiger, pointing with his forefoot. “Take good care of these friends of mine,” said the Lion, “and I will go at once to fight the monster.” He bade his comrades good-bye and marched proudly away to do battle with the enemy. The great spider was lying asleep when the Lion found him, and it looked so ugly that its foe turned up his nose in disgust. Its legs were quite as long as the tiger had said, and its body covered with coarse black hair. It had a great mouth, with a row of sharp teeth a foot long; but its head was joined to the pudgy body by a neck as slender as a wasp’s waist. This gave the Lion a hint of the best way to attack the creature, and as he knew it was easier to fight it asleep than awake, he gave a great spring and landed directly upon the monster’s back. Then, with one blow of his heavy paw, all armed with sharp claws, he knocked the spider’s head from its body. Jumping down, he watched it until the long legs stopped wiggling, when he knew it was quite dead. The Lion went back to the opening where the beasts of the forest were waiting for him and said proudly: “You need fear your enemy no longer.” Then the beasts bowed down to the Lion as their King, and he promised to come back and rule over them as soon as Dorothy was safely on her way to Kansas.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 135—1
Lesson 135
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Colons
Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use colons in a sentence. Key Vocabulary: Boisterous Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: In life we often encounter situations that challenge us. Have you ever hit a roadblock in your life that turned out to be worth it? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, you may need to give the student further explanation of the Engaging Question. Explain how at times something that appears to be a negative or an obstacle can actually end up being a positive or make us a stronger individual. You will then present a Mini-Lesson on the colon. The student will complete an exercise to practice its use. She will then continue reading of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and respond to the corresponding Study Questions. Semicolons and Colons Answer Key: Team: Today; France; Family; Sick; Day; Trip: Trees; shrubs; Meet; Friends;
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 135—2
Chapter Twenty–Two Study Questions Answer Key: What roadblock did Dorothy and her friends encounter in this chapter, and what did it hinder them from doing? A steep hill covered with giant pieces of rock that makes them unable to cross it. How did they overcome this roadblock? They had the winged-monkeys carry them over to hill. Describe in detail what the Quadlings looked like. Short and fat dressed in all red. They appeared to look good-natured. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write one paragraph about how he thinks Glinda may be able to help Dorothy.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 135—1
Lesson 135 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Colons In life we often encounter situations that challenge us. Have you ever hit a roadblock in your life that turned out to be worth it? As you learned in Lesson 134, the semicolon is a punctuation mark used to separate two parts of a sentence. It can be found in a series in which the comma is already used, as well as in a compound sentence when a coordinating conjunction is not used. The colon, on the other hand, is the punctuation mark used to indicate that a list follows. Note that the colon is also used when expressing time and writing a business letter. In a list that follows: Example: Purchase the following items at the store: milk, bread, eggs, and toilet paper. Example: Amy has these wonderful qualities: beauty, intelligence, patience, and humor. Example: We bought these gifts for Christmas: toys, clothes, candy, and a new bicycle. I n a business letter the colon is used after the formal greeting such as in “Dear Mr. Thomas:”. When expressing time, the colon is used between the hours and minutes as in 8:30 pm. Now, complete the Semicolons and Colons Practice Sheet on the next page.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 135—2
Semicolons and Colons Directions: Read through the following sentences. Each is missing a colon or semicolon. On the line below each sentence rewrite each sentence to include the missing colon or semicolon as needed. The following people play on the varsity softball team Sam, Mary, and Erica.
Mona was very disappointed in her game today she was nevertheless a gracious loser.
I have never been to France I have always wanted to travel there with my family.
Jay is the oldest in the family he was born on March 29, 1988.
Anna was sick she came to school anyway.
It was a cold snowy day I still went for my morning walk.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 135—3
Sue made the following list of items she needed on her camping trip tent, stove, flashlight, sleeping bag, and a cot.
I planted perennials and flowering trees short, tall, and medium shrubs and white pink and red roses.
Emma was exhausted after her track meet she slept in the next morning. Rob wanted to stay with his friends he knew it would be great fun.
Continue reading through The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by reading Chapter Twenty–Two and answering the Study Questions for this chapter. Lesson Wrap-Up: Write one paragraph about how you think Glinda may be able to help Dorothy.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 135—4
Chapter Twenty–Two Study Questions What roadblock did Dorothy and her friends encounter in this chapter, and what did it hinder them from doing?
How did they overcome this roadblock?
Describe in detail what the Quadlings looked like.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 135—5
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 22. The Country of the Quadlings The four travelers passed through the rest of the forest in safety, and when they came out from its gloom saw before them a steep hill, covered from top to bottom with great pieces of rock. “That will be a hard climb,” said the Scarecrow, “but we must get over the hill, nevertheless.” So he led the way and the others followed. They had nearly reached the first rock when they heard a rough voice cry out, “Keep back!” “Who are you?” asked the Scarecrow. Then a head showed itself over the rock and the same voice said, “This hill belongs to us, and we don’t allow anyone to cross it.” “But we must cross it,” said the Scarecrow. “We’re going to the country of the Quadlings.” “But you shall not!” replied the voice, and there stepped from behind the rock the strangest man the travelers had ever seen. He was quite short and stout and had a big head, which was flat at the top and supported by a thick neck full of wrinkles. But he had no arms at all, and, seeing this, the Scarecrow did not fear that so helpless a creature could prevent them from climbing the hill. So he said, “I’m sorry not to do as you wish, but we must pass over your hill whether you like it or not,” and he walked boldly forward. As quick as lightning the man’s head shot forward and his neck stretched out until the top of the head, where it was flat, struck the Scarecrow in the middle and sent him tumbling, over and over, down the hill. Almost as quickly as it came the head went back to the body, and the man laughed harshly as he said, “It isn’t as easy as you think!” A chorus of boisterous laughter came from the other rocks, and Dorothy saw hundreds of the armless Hammer-Heads upon the hillside, one behind every rock. The Lion became quite angry at the laughter caused by the Scarecrow’s mishap, and giving a loud roar that echoed like thunder, he dashed up the hill. Again a head shot swiftly out, and the great Lion went rolling down the hill as if he had been struck by a cannon ball. Dorothy ran down and helped the Scarecrow to his feet, and the Lion came up to her, feeling rather bruised and sore, and said, “It is useless to fight people with shooting heads; no one can withstand them.” “What can we do, then?” she asked. “Call the Winged Monkeys,” suggested the Tin Woodman. “You have still the right to command them once more.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 135—6
“Very well,” she answered, and putting on the Golden Cap she uttered the magic words. The Monkeys were as prompt as ever, and in a few moments the entire band stood before her. “What are your commands?” inquired the King of the Monkeys, bowing low. “Carry us over the hill to the country of the Quadlings,” answered the girl. “It shall be done,” said the King, and at once the Winged Monkeys caught the four travelers and Toto up in their arms and flew away with them. As they passed over the hill the Hammer-Heads yelled with vexation, and shot their heads high in the air, but they could not reach the Winged Monkeys, which carried Dorothy and her comrades safely over the hill and set them down in the beautiful country of the Quadlings. “This is the last time you can summon us,” said the leader to Dorothy; “so good-bye and good luck to you.” “Good-bye, and thank you very much,” returned the girl; and the Monkeys rose into the air and were out of sight in a twinkling. The country of the Quadlings seemed rich and happy. There was field upon field of ripening grain, with well-paved roads running between, and pretty rippling brooks with strong bridges across them. The fences and houses and bridges were all painted bright red, just as they had been painted yellow in the country of the Winkies and blue in the country of the Munchkins. The Quadlings themselves, who were short and fat and looked chubby and good-natured, were dressed all in red, which showed bright against the green grass and the yellowing grain. The Monkeys had set them down near a farmhouse, and the four travelers walked up to it and knocked at the door. It was opened by the farmer’s wife, and when Dorthy asked for something to eat the woman gave them all a good dinner, with three kinds of cake and four kinds of cookies, and a bowl of milk for Toto. “How far is it to the Castle of Glinda?” asked the child. “It is not a great way,” answered the farmer’s wife. “Take the road to the South and you will soon reach it.” Thanking the good woman, they started afresh and walked by the fields and across the pretty bridges until they saw before them a very beautiful Castle. Before the gates were three young girls, dressed in handsome red uniforms trimmed with gold braid; and as Dorothy approached, one of them said to her: “Why have you come to the South Country?” “To see the Good Witch who rules here,” she answered. “Will you take me to her?” “Let me have your name, and I will ask Glinda if she will receive you.” They told who they were, and the girl soldier went into the Castle. After a few moments she came back to say that Dorothy and the others were to be admitted at once.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 136—1
Lesson 136
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; The Hyphen and the Dash
Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use the hyphen and the dash in a sentence. Key Vocabulary: Mourning Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What do you wish for and why? Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question you will then present a Mini-Lesson on using the hyphen and the dash correctly in sentences. The student will later demonstrate their understanding of this MiniLesson. He will then continue reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and respond to the corresponding Study Questions. Hyphen versus Dash Practice Answer Key: Twenty-first Three-fourths Kendra--, class-An-gered Weather--, blizzard-Sixty-fifth Gown--, Paris-Self-motivated Well-to-do Great-grandfather
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 136—2
Chapter Twenty–Three Study Questions Answer Key: What was the exchange made in this chapter between Glinda and Dorothy? Dorothy will give Glinda the Golden Cap and Glinda will tell Dorothy how to get home. What were the fates of her fellow travelers when Dorothy was to return to Kansas? The Scarecrow was to rule over the Land of Oz, The Woodman the Winkies, and the Lion the Hammer-Heads. What did Glinda wish for in this chapter? She used her three wishes to carry the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion to their new homes. How did Dorothy return home to Kansas? By clicking the heels of her silver shoes three times and requesting to go home. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the “Hyphen versus Dash” practice activity.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 136—1
Lesson 136
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; The Hyphen and the Dash
What do you wish for and why? As we continue our Mini-Lessons on punctuation, we will examine the two most commonly misused types of punctuation, the hyphen and the dash. There is a distinct difference between these two types of punctuation, although both are used for the primary purpose of making your writing clearer or separating and setting off words in a sentence. The hyphen is used when a part of a word must be carried to the next line, as well as in compound words and numbers. The hyphen is represented by the symbol (-). Examine the following example sentences when the hyphen is used. Example: I am ready to go on vacation to Disneyworld. I am bringing my DVD player for the airplane ride. Example: My future sister-in-law is going to be my maid of honor in my wedding. Example: She will celebrate her twenty-fourth birthday tomorrow. The dash is used to show an abrupt break in a thought, and is represented by this symbol (–). Example: Amanda – who is the funniest girl I know – is my best friend. Example: We will be ready to go soon – Mom has been rushing us all afternoon. You will get the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the difference between the hyphen and the dash later in the Lesson. For now, continue your reading of the novel by reading Chapter Twenty–Three and answering the Study Questions that correspond to this chapter. Lesson Wrap-Up: Now please complete the “Hyphen versus Dash” practice activity.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 136—2
Chapter Twenty–Three Study Questions What was the exchange made in this chapter between Glinda and Dorothy?
What were the fates of her fellow travelers when Dorothy was to return to Kansas?
What did Glinda wish for in this chapter?
How did Dorothy return home to Kansas?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 136—3
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 23. Glinda The Good Witch Grants Dorothy’s Wish Before they went to see Glinda, however, they were taken to a room of the Castle, where Dorothy washed her face and combed her hair, and the Lion shook the dust out of his mane, and the Scarecrow patted himself into his best shape, and the Woodman polished his tin and oiled his joints. When they were all quite presentable they followed the soldier girl into a big room where the Witch Glinda sat upon a throne of rubies. She was both beautiful and young to their eyes. Her hair was a rich red in color and fell in flowing ringlets over her shoulders. Her dress was pure white but her eyes were blue, and they looked kindly upon the little girl. “What can I do for you, my child?” she asked. Dorothy told the Witch all her story: how the cyclone had brought her to the Land of Oz, how she had found her companions, and of the wonderful adventures they had met with. “My greatest wish now,” she added, “is to get back to Kansas, for Aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to me, and that will make her put on mourning; and unless the crops are better this year than they were last, I am sure Uncle Henry cannot afford it.” Glinda leaned forward and kissed the sweet, upturned face of the loving little girl. “Bless your dear heart,” she said, “I am sure I can tell you of a way to get back to Kansas.” Then she added, “But, if I do, you must give me the Golden Cap.” “Willingly!” exclaimed Dorothy; “indeed, it is of no use to me now, and when you have it you can command the Winged Monkeys three times.” “And I think I shall need their service just those three times,” answered Glinda, smiling. Dorothy then gave her the Golden Cap, and the Witch said to the Scarecrow, “What will you do when Dorothy has left us?” “I will return to the Emerald City,” he replied, “for Oz has made me its ruler and the people like me. The only thing that worries me is how to cross the hill of the Hammer-Heads.” “By means of the Golden Cap I shall command the Winged Monkeys to carry you to the gates of the Emerald City,” said Glinda, “for it would be a shame to deprive the people of so wonderful a ruler.” “Am I really wonderful?” asked the Scarecrow.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 136—4
“You are unusual,” replied Glinda. Turning to the Tin Woodman, she asked, “What will become of you when Dorothy leaves this country?” He leaned on his axe and thought a moment. Then he said, “The Winkies were very kind to me, and wanted me to rule over them after the Wicked Witch died. I am fond of the Winkies, and if I could get back again to the Country of the West, I should like nothing better than to rule over them forever.” “My second command to the Winged Monkeys,” said Glinda “will be that they carry you safely to the land of the Winkies. Your brain may not be so large to look at as those of the Scarecrow, but you are really brighter than he is—when you are well polished— and I am sure you will rule the Winkies wisely and well.” Then the Witch looked at the big, shaggy Lion and asked, “When Dorothy has returned to her own home, what will become of you?” “Over the hill of the Hammer-Heads,” he answered, “lies a grand old forest, and all the beasts that live there have made me their King. If I could only get back to this forest, I would pass my life very happily there.” “My third command to the Winged Monkeys,” said Glinda, “shall be to carry you to your forest. Then, having used up the powers of the Golden Cap, I shall give it to the King of the Monkeys, that he and his band may thereafter be free for evermore.” The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Lion now thanked the Good Witch earnestly for her kindness; and Dorothy exclaimed: “You are certainly as good as you are beautiful! But you have not yet told me how to get back to Kansas.” “Your Silver Shoes will carry you over the desert,” replied Glinda. “If you had known their power you could have gone back to your Aunt Em the very first day you came to this country.” “But then I should not have had my wonderful brains!” cried the Scarecrow. “I might have passed my whole life in the farmer’s cornfield.” “And I should not have had my lovely heart,” said the Tin Woodman. “I might have stood and rusted in the forest till the end of the world.” “And I should have lived a coward forever,” declared the Lion, “and no beast in all the forest would have had a good word to say to me.” “This is all true,” said Dorothy, “and I am glad I was of use to these good friends. But now that each of them has had what he most desired, and each is happy in having a kingdom to rule besides, I think I should like to go back to Kansas.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 136—5
“The Silver Shoes,” said the Good Witch, “have wonderful powers. And one of the most curious things about them is that they can carry you to any place in the world in three steps, and each step will be made in the wink of an eye. All you have to do is to knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to go.” “If that is so,” said the child joyfully, “I will ask them to carry me back to Kansas at once.” She threw her arms around the Lion’s neck and kissed him, patting his big head tenderly. Then she kissed the Tin Woodman, who was weeping in a way most dangerous to his joints. But she hugged the soft, stuffed body of the Scarecrow in her arms instead of kissing his painted face, and found she was crying herself at this sorrowful parting from her loving comrades. Glinda the Good stepped down from her ruby throne to give the little girl a good-bye kiss, and Dorothy thanked her for all the kindness she had shown to her friends and herself. Dorothy now took Toto up solemnly in her arms, and having said one last good-bye she clapped the heels of her shoes together three times, saying: “Take me home to Aunt Em!” Instantly she was whirling through the air, so swiftly that all she could see or feel was the wind whistling past her ears. The Silver Shoes took but three steps, and then she stopped so suddenly that she rolled over upon the grass several times before she knew where she was. At length, however, she sat up and looked about her. “Good gracious!” she cried.For she was sitting on the broad Kansas prairie, and just before her was the new farmhouse Uncle Henry built after the cyclone had carried away the old one. Uncle Henry was milking the cows in the barnyard, and Toto had jumped out of her arms and was running toward the barn, barking furiously. Dorothy stood up and found she was in her stocking-feet. For the Silver Shoes had fallen off in her flight through the air, and were lost forever in the desert. 24. Home Again Aunt Em had just come out of the house to water the cabbages when she looked up and saw Dorothy running toward her. “My darling child!” she cried, folding the little girl in her arms and covering her face with kisses. “Where in the world did you come from?” “From the Land of Oz,” said Dorothy gravely. “And here is Toto, too. And oh, Aunt Em! I’m so glad to be at home again!”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 136—6
Hyphen versus Dash Directions: Read through the following sentences. Each is missing a hyphen or a dash. On the line below each sentence rewrite each sentence to include the missing hyphen or a dash as needed. We will be leaving for vacation on the twentyfirst of May.
I always have trouble when I am measuring out three fourths of a cup of ingredients for a recipe.
Kendra the smartest girl in the class stayed up all night doing homework.
Suzanne was my best friend until we got in a fight. She angered me too much.
The dangerous winter weather a raging blizzard kept us from going out to buy groceries.
My grandparents will celebrate their sixtyfifth anniversary this summer.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 136—7
Your new gown the designer one from Paris is fantastic.
Timothy worked all day because he was selfmotivated to do so.
The well to do family bought a mansion.
My great grandfather lived to be 100 years old.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 137—1
Lesson 137
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Parentheses
Objective: The student will be able to read critically and analyze the modern-day significance of L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The student will also be able to understand and correctly use parentheses in sentences. Key Vocabulary: Acrostic poem Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Why do you think people use the phrase “home sweet home?” Explain how Dorothy could relate to this expression. Additional Notes to the Teacher: After the student has responded to the Engaging Question you will then present a Mini-Lesson on parentheses. The student will then demonstrate their understanding of this Mini-Lesson. She will finish reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in this Lesson and write an acrostic poem relating to the novel. Parenthesis Practice Answer Key: Lester and Shaquan (a couple of characters) won the three-legged sack race. An old pair of boots (no one knew how long they had been there) was sitting near the entrance to the barn. Many delightful songs (several written by American folk artists) were on the concert list. All of the garden tools (rake, shovel, trowel, and clippers) were left to get rusty in the rain. The people at the family reunion (38 in number) laughed and cried at the same time. Juanita ate every single piece of candy (a whole bag of chocolate) before anyone else came home. All of the famous celebrities (even the President’s dog) were at the gala celebration. It is a well-known fact (and a surprising one) that two-thirds of Americans cannot name the current Vice President. Almost all of her children (and every one of her grandchildren) were surprised about the woman’s first job. I do not think that anyone in this room can imagine (not even one, single person) how scary it was to live through a hurricane. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete the Acrostic Poem Exercise at the end of this Lesson. You may wish to give an example by forming another acrostic poem using another significant word from the text, like “SLIPPER” or “WIZARD.”
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 137—1
Lesson 137
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Parentheses
Why do you think people use the phrase “home sweet home?” Explain how Dorothy could relate to this expression. In this Lesson, we will learn about parentheses, which are represented by these symbols ( ). The parentheses are used to set off information that is loosely related to the rest of the sentence, but often not important enough to include in the main part of the sentence. Examine the examples below to see how parentheses are used. Example: I am excited about our trip (which we take in just four days) because we are going to the beach. Example: Sal got an A in math (with extra tutoring) which is the highest math grade he has ever earned. Example: Amanda worked all week on her art project (the exact amount of hours is unknown). Lesson Wrap-Up: An acrostic poem is a piece of writing where you use the letters from a specific word to start each line of the poem. Your assignment is to use the word RAINBOW as the starting point for writing an acrostic poem. Write the word RAINBOW vertically on a piece of paper. On the next page, use the letter “R” to start your first sentence, which will tell one main idea you learned when reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Then use the letter “A” to start your second sentence, again telling one main idea you learned from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Continue this process until you have done the same thing with every letter in the word RAINBOW.
STUDENT MANUAL
Rainbow Acrostic RAINBOW
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 137—2
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 137—3
Parentheses Practice Insert parentheses into the following sentences. Lester and Shaquan a couple of characters won the three-legged sack race.
An old pair of boots no one knew how long they had been there was sitting near the entrance to the barn.
Many delightful songs several written by American folk artists were on the concert list.
All of the garden tools rake, shovel, trowel, and clippers were left to get rusty in the rain.
The people at the family reunion 38 in number laughed and cried at the same time.
Juanita ate every single piece of candy a whole bag of chocolate before anyone else came home.
All of the famous celebrities even the President’s dog were at the gala celebration.
It is a well-known fact and a surprising one that two-thirds of Americans cannot name the current Vice President.
Almost all of her children and every one of her grandchildren were surprised about the woman’s first job.
I do not think that anyone in this room can imagine not even one, single person how scary it was to live through a hurricane.
We will finally finish our journey through L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in this Lesson, and ultimately learn how our faithful travelers’ journey ended as well. Finish reading the novel by completing Chapter Twenty-Four.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 138—1
Lesson 138
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Movie
Objective: The student will be able to view and analyze a cinematic interpretation of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Materials Needed: Journal, copy of the 1939 film version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What is the difference between knowing something and believing something? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will continue through the next two Lessons as well. It is intended to teach the student to fully appreciate the value and splendor of the cinematic version of the novel she just finished reading. Also, note to the student that during following these continuous Lessons, there will be a test over the Mini-Lessons taught on punctuation. The student should review any notes on punctuation to prepare for that assessment. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss any major differences that you notice between the story and the film with the student.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 138—1
Lesson 138
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Movie
What is the difference between knowing something and believing something? In this Lesson, you will begin viewing the 1939 film version of L. Frank Baum’s novel. Before beginning the novel, respond to the engaging question in your writing Journal as you think about how the concept was dealt with throughout the novel. Next, you will view the first hour of the film. While watching the movie, pay attention to the differences between the film and the novel you have just completed by jotting down these differences on a sheet of paper. This will be used in a future writing assignment on the novel. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss any major differences that you notice between the story and the film with your teacher.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 139—1
Lesson 139
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Movie
Objective: The student will be able to view and analyze a cinematic interpretation of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Materials Needed: Journal, copy of the 1939 film version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What did you think about the film so far? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will continue into the next Lesson, until viewing of the movie has been completed. Also, note to the student that once the viewing of the film is completed there will be a test over the Mini-Lessons taught on punctuation in the following Lesson. The student should review any notes on punctuation to prepare for that assessment. Lesson Wrap-Up: Again, discuss any major differences that you notice between the written story and the film.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 139—1
Lesson 139
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Movie
What did you think about the film so far? Before finishing your viewing of the film version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, respond to the Engaging Question in your writing Journal in a paragraph of at least five complete sentences. Next, you will continue watching the movie you began in the previous Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Again, discuss any major differences that you notice between the written story and the film.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 140—1
Lesson 140
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Movie
Objective: The student will be able to view and analyze a cinematic interpretation of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Materials Needed: Journal, copy of the 1939 film version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, white paper, colored pencils Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: How would you rewrite The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ending? Additional Notes to the Teacher: Introduce a writing activity to the student. The student will be writing an alternative ending to the movie. Brainstorm with the student some possible endings and inform the student how long you expect the writing piece to be. Tell the student to be imaginative and creative. Be specific about your expectations. Provide the materials for the comic strip project. It may be a good idea to have the student do a draft of the comic strip first, evaluate it, and then make a finished copy. As an assessment, require the student to share his alternate ending and comic strip with a classmate, if possible, or a family member or friend. Lesson Wrap-Up: Remember that there will be a test over the Mini-Lessons taught on punctuation in the next Lesson. Remind the student to review his notes and the practice exercises on punctuation to prepare for that assessment.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 140—1
Lesson 140
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Movie
How would you rewrite The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ending? Finish viewing the movie. Next, you will complete an activity related to the movie version of L. Frank Baum’s novel. You will be writing a new ending to the movie and illustrating this ending using a comic strip of at least six frames. You new ending should answer the question: how would the movie have ended if Dorothy had gotten into the hot air balloon with the wizard? In thinking about this question, you should write a narrative alternative ending different from the one in the movie. Use your imagination and be creative. Then, get a blank sheet of paper and create at least six illustrations in the form of a comic strip that correspond to your narrative. The assessment part of this assignment includes sharing you work with at least one other person. The person could be a classmate, family member, or friend. Read and share your new ending and your comic strip with the person of your choice Lesson Wrap-Up: Remember that there will be a test over the Mini-Lessons taught on punctuation in the next Lesson. Review your notes and the practice exercises on punctuation to prepare for that assessment.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 141—1
Lesson 141
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Punctuation Assessment for Writing Assignment
Objective: The student will review and be assessed on the correct usages of the various types of punctuation to prepare for The Wonderful Wizard Oz Writing Assignment in Lesson 142. Materials Needed: Journal Engage: Engaging Question: Read this question aloud as the student follows along. “why do u think that punctuation is important does it really make any sorta difference when it comes to reading and writing i mean honestly cant you just write what you want two say and have someone understand what your saying I means its really not that hard grammar seems pretty pointless anyway it just seems like there are so many silly rules for no good reason just thought up by someone to make someone else do something there weigh” Additional Notes to the Teacher: Instead of having the student write a response to this Engaging Question, engage in a discussion of the question and the confusion it causes because it lacks punctuation. This will help the student prepare for the Punctuation Assessment that is given in this Lesson. This Assessment tests the student’s knowledge of various types of punctuation and their functions. Punctuation Assessment Answer Key: It was Dr. Smith’s job to take care of the children who came to the office, although he also liked working with adults. Christina Thompson, art teacher, was chosen as the head of the teacher’s union. Hailey Smith is turning twenty-five today. Sam and Tom went to the store; they bought slushes to drink. Jessica and Brittany’s piano recital has been rescheduled for 7:30 pm tonight instead of 6:00 pm. Mark asked Emily, “Did your family visit the park last summer?” My father, Sam told us, is a volunteer at the local soup kitchen.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 141—2
Will you go to the store with me to buy groceries: lunchmeat, eggs, cheese, bread, and soda? “The birthday party was a hit,” my best friend said. The mean included a choice of dessert: apple pie, ice cream, or cake. We sold twenty-two plates, fifteen cups, and nineteen saucers at our garage sale. Our school is raising money for new laptops, updated software, and a new computer lab. Sue questioned her friend, “Do you want to bring brownies to the party?” “Can Amanda come over and spend the night on Saturday?” Polly asked her mom. My dad said, “That was a good football game.” Her brother-in-law broke her favorite vase when he came to visit. The science project, math test, and novel which need to be read by Friday are all written as assignments in my planner. “Why was your vacation so fun?” asked Julie. “There are no more candy canes,” my grandfather told me. “I love blueberry pie,” proclaimed Anna, “But apple is still my favorite kind.” Lesson Wrap-Up: Review the assessment with the student and review any areas that she found difficult.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 141—1
Lesson 141
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Punctuation Assessment for Writing Assignment
why do u think that punctuation is important does it really make any sorta difference when it comes to reading and writing i mean honestly cant you just write what you want two say and have someone understand what your saying I means its really not that hard grammar seems pretty pointless anyway it just seems like there are so many silly rules for no good reason just thought up by someone to make someone else do something there weigh i mean you can understand what im saying anyway In this Lesson, you will take an assessment on the various types of punctuation you learned throughout the Mini-Lessons taught in this unit. Answer every question to the best of your ability in order to display your knowledge and understanding. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review the assessment with your teacher and review any areas that you found difficult.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 141—2
Punctuation Assessment Directions: Rewrite each sentence inserting the correct punctuation. It was Dr. Smith’s job to take care of the children who came to the office although he also liked working with adults.
Christina Thompson art teacher was chosen as the head of the teacher’s union
Hailey Smith is turning twentyfive today.
Sam and Tom went to the store they bought slushes to drink.
Jessica and Brittanys piano recital has been rescheduled for 730 pm tonight instead of 600 pm.
Mark asked Emily Did your family visit the park last summer?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 141—3
My father Sam told us is a volunteer at the local soup kitchen.
Will you go to the store with me to buy groceries lunchmeat eggs cheese bread and soda
The birthday party was a hit my best friend said.
The menu included a choice of dessert apple pie, ice cream, or cake.
We sold twentytwo plates fifteen cups and nineteen saucers at our garage sale.
Our school is raising money for new laptops updated software and a new computer lab.
Sue questioned her friend Do you want to bring brownies to the party?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 141—4
Can Amanda come over and spend the night on Saturday Polly asked her mom.
My dad said That was a good football game
Her brotherinlaw broke her favorite vase when he came to visit.
The science project math test and novel which need to be read by Friday are all written as assignments in my planner.
Why was your vacation so fun asked Julie.
There are no more candy canes my grandfather told me.
I love blueberry pie proclaimed Anna but apple is still my favorite kind.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 142—1
Lesson 142
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Writing Assignment
Objective: The student will compare and contrast the book and movie version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and write an argument to support which one the student likes better. Key Vocabulary: Venn Diagram, Compare / Contrast Materials Needed: Journal, copy of the 1939 film version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, copy of the novel Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What are the similarities between the film and book version of L. Frank Baum’s novel? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will be continued through the next two Lessons, as the student works through the writing process to construct a well-written, thoughtful essay in which she compares and contrasts the film and book versions of the novel to ultimately make a decision as to which one she prefers and why. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete her Venn Diagram and begin writing a rough draft of the essay using the formatting guidelines outlined in this Lesson.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 142—1
Lesson 142
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Writing Assignment
What are the similarities between the film and book version of L. Frank Baum’s novel? You have now completed viewing the 1939 film version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as well as reading L. Frank Baum’s novel. In previous Lessons we have studied comparison and contrast as it relates to literature and comprehension. One of the techniques for comparison and contrast is the use of the Venn Diagram which we have already worked with. Throughout your viewing of the film, you were asked to keep a list of the differences and similarities between the book and the movie. Refer back to that list and begin by adding anything else to the list that you may not have previously thought of. Next, you will work to create a Venn Diagram illustrating this list so that you will be able to use this graphic organizer to prepare a well-written, five paragraph essay throughout the next several Lessons comparing and contrasting the book and the movie. The focus question of this essay is: Which version of the story do you prefer: the 1939 film version or L. Frank Baum’s novel version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?
Characteristics of the 1939 film version Common Characteristics
Characteristics of the L. Frank Baum novel version
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 142—2
Your essay should answer the focus question and be formatted in the following way. Think about this format as you prepare your Venn Diagram for this Lesson. Paragraph 1: Introduce which format you like better, the book or the movie. Paragraph 2: Introduce the similarities between the book and movie. Explain and give examples of the similarities. Paragraph 3: Introduce the differences between the books and movie. Explain and give examples of the differences. Paragraph 4: Give reasons for which you like better, the book or the movie. Support your reasons. Paragraph 5: Write a concluding statement that restates your argument. Lesson Wrap-Up: After you have consulted your notes and thought about similarities and differences between the novel and the movie, complete the Venn Diagram and begin writing a rough draft of the essay using the formatting guidelines outlined in this Lesson.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 143—1
Lesson 143
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Writing Assignment
Objective: The student will compare and contrast the book and movie version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and write an argument to support which one the student likes better. Materials Needed: Journal, copy of the 1939 film version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, copy of the novel Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: What are the differences between the film and book version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? Additional Notes to the Teacher: During this Lesson the student will be writing and revising an essay about if she liked the novel version or the movie version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz better. Encourage the student to use words, phrases or clauses to help state her reasons. If possible, have the student participate in a peer editing process. If there is not another student, you may wish to assist with the editing yourself. Advanced Preparation: The student will need her Venn Diagram and rough draft (if completed) from the previous Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student read her rough draft aloud to begin the revision and editing process.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 143—1
Lesson 143
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Writing Assignment
What are the differences between the film and book version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? You have a Venn Diagram completed comparing and contrasting the film and book version of L. Frank Baum’s novel. You may also have a rough draft partially completed from the previous Lesson. You should use this Lesson activity to complete your rough draft and begin reading over the rough draft to revise and edit any changes that need to be made. If possible, have a friend, family member, or your teacher assist you with the editing process. Remember from Lesson 142 that this is an essay comparing and contrasting the two different versions you have studied of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Which version of the story do you prefer: the 1939 film version or L. Frank Baum’s novel version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? Your essay should answer the focus question above and be formatted in the following way: Paragraph 1: Introduce which format you like better, the book or the movie. Paragraph 2: Introduce the similarities between the book and movie. Explain and give examples of the similarities. Paragraph 3: Introduce the differences between the books and movie. Explain and give examples of the differences. Paragraph 4: Give reasons for which you like better, the book or the movie. Support your reasons. Paragraph 5: Write a concluding statement that restates your argument. Lesson Wrap-Up: Once you have completed the hand-written rough draft during this Lesson, read over the entire draft out loud to begin the revision and editing process.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 144—1
Lesson 144
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Writing Assignment
Objective: The student will compare and contrast the book and movie version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and write an argument to support which one the student likes better. Materials Needed: Journal, copy of the 1939 film version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, copy of the novel, computer access Literary Selection: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Engage: Engaging Question: Which version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz do you prefer: the film or book version and why? Additional Notes to the Teacher: You may choose to refer back to Lessons taught at the beginning of the year on how to revise and edit an essay in order to complete this Lesson. In this Lesson the student will be taking her hand-written rough draft that has been through one revision and use the time to type the essay on the computer. After she has typed the entire essay, she should then print a copy of the essay. You will meet with your student and read over the essay, make any suggestions for revisions that still need to be made, and then have the student type a final copy of the essay. Advanced Preparation: The student will need his copy of the revised and edited handwritten rough draft from the last Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: By the end of this Lesson, the student should have a polished, completed typed essay answering the focus question at the end of the Student Manual. This essay should conform to the accompanying format.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 144—1
Lesson 144
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Writing Assignment
Which version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz do you prefer: the film or book version and why? In this Lesson you will be taking your hand-written rough draft that has been through one revision and use the time to type the essay on the computer. After you have typed the entire essay, print a copy of the essay and you will meet with your teacher who will read over the essay, make any suggestions for revisions that still need to be made, and then you should type a final copy of the essay. Lesson Wrap-Up: By the end of this Lesson, you should have a polished, completed typed essay answering the following focus question and formatted in the following way: Which version of the story do you prefer: the 1939 film version or L. Frank Baum’s novel version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? Paragraph 1: Introduce which format you like better, the book or the movie. Paragraph 2: Introduce the similarities between the book and movie. Explain and give examples of the similarities. Paragraph 3: Introduce the differences between the books and movie. Explain and give examples of the differences. Paragraph 4: Give reasons for which you like better, the book or the movie. Support your reasons. Paragraph 5: Conclusion
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 145—1
Lesson 145
Poetry: Voice
Objective: The student will be able to understand voice as it is used poetry in order to compose a collection of her own poems of various forms and types. Key Vocabulary: Voice Materials Needed: Journal Literary Selection: “This is Just to Say” by William Carlos Williams (This will need to be printed off the Internet by the teacher.) Engage: Engaging Question: What is poetry? How does poetry express thoughts in a different way? Technology Integration: Encourage student to research the poet William Carlos Williams. Additional Notes to the Teacher: The assignment for the student is to write an apology poem. An example of an apology poem is William Carlos Williams’ poem, “This is Just to Say.” Be sure to print this poem off the Internet before the Lesson. Discuss this poem with the student, explaining why it qualifies as an apology poem. Create an apology poem of your own or provide another example to model for the student so that she grasps the concept. Brainstorm ideas with the student about possible topics for this assignment. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write an apology poem for the next Lesson. This poem should be at least 12 lines.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 145—1
Lesson 145
Poetry: Voice
What is poetry? How does poetry express thoughts in a different way? You will begin a unit on poetry by first learning how to read poetry and understanding the various elements of a poem. So far this year, you have read fiction, science fiction, and short stories. Now you will tackle another type of literature: poetry. Poetry is usually much shorter than fiction, but a common misconception is that poems must rhyme—some do and some do not. We will spend some time writing various types of poetry throughout this unit, but you should also know how to read a poem as well. Below are several ideas for how to develop and uncover meaning from a poem: Read the poem in its entirety first. Reading the poem aloud to yourself will help you hear what it sounds like. Look at every word and every line individually in the poem to try to uncover its significance to the poem’s meaning. Try to rewrite the poem in your own words, or modern day language if the poem permits you to do so. Examine the various elements of the poem to learn how they are contributing to the poem’s meaning. We will discuss the elements of poetry in future Lessons. There is a famous quotation by Archibald Macleish in the poem “Ars Poetica” which states, “A poem should not mean, but be.” In your writing Journal, discuss in a paragraph of at least five sentences what you feel that quotation means. We will begin examining the elements of poetry by learning about voice. The voice of a poem tells who is speaking in the poem and sometimes can explain the emotion the poem emits as well. To determine what type of voice is being used, think first about what type of poem you are reading. For example, in a sonnet, the poet may be expressing strong emotions and feelings using first person pronouns such as “I.” A narrative poem, on the other hand, tells a story and the voice in a narrative poem may be telling the story without actually participating in it. We will be learning to write several different kinds of poetry. Since we have just discussed voice in a poem, the type of poem you will learn to write is called an Apology Poem. In an apology poem, your voice (or the author’s voice) is used to clearly make some sort of apology to the reader or another person.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 145—2
The sections to keep in mind when writing this type of poem are: Describe the action that was done wrong. Describe the reason the person should not have done the action. Make an explanation as to why the person did the action. Complete the apology. For an example of an apology poem, research the famous poet William Carlos Williams and read his poem entitled “This is Just to Say.” Lesson Wrap-Up: This is your time to practice using voice in poetry by writing an apology poem to be shared in the next Lesson. Your apology poem should have at least 12 lines.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 146—1
Lesson 146
Poetry: Stanza
Objective: The student will be able to understand the use of stanzas in poetry in order to compose a collection of his own poems of various forms and types. Key Vocabulary: Stanza Materials Needed: Journal Engage: Engaging Question: How many lines must a poem have? Why do you think this? Extensions: You may want to include other examples of poetry such as those by Shel Silverstein. Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will continue learning about the pieces of a poem by studying how lines are composed in a poem. The assignment for this Lesson is for the student to write five rhyming couplets in the pattern of AA, BB, CC, DD, EE. Model writing a poem in this format, or find a poem to show the student, so that the student can see what is required. You may also want to bring in some poetry by Shel Silverstein to read aloud in order to give examples of different types of stanzas and to bring a sense of fun to studying poetry. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write a poem composed of five rhyming couplets (ten lines) in the AA BB form. Each couplet should have a different rhyming sound. Have the student pick from one of the following subjects. Favorite subject in school How to succeed in school Something important you have learned this year
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 146—1
Lesson 146
Poetry: Stanza
How many lines must a poem have? Why do you think this? We began learning about the various pieces of a poem that make poetry enjoyable to read. We first learned that the voice of a poem is that which expresses the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the poet. In this Lesson, we will continue learning about the pieces of a poem by studying how lines are composed in a poem. A stanza is a group of lines within a poem. There are different names for stanza types based upon how many lines are in each group. 2 lines = couplet 3 lines = tercet 4 lines = quatrain 5 lines = quintet 6 lines = sestet 7 lines = septet 8 lines = octave You are probably most familiar with poems made up of couplets (two-line groups) where one line rhymes with the next. It is important to note, however, that a poem does not have to rhyme. Below are several examples of rhyming couplets: Example: Mom and dad are a pair, Everything is what they share. Example: I am walking to the store, Hungry I will be no more. Example: In the pool they splash and swim, At night, they never want to come in. If these three examples were put together in a poem, the rhyming pattern would be called AA BB CC, where A represents the rhyming couplet pair/share because these two words rhyme, B represents a new rhyming couplet store/more because these two words rhyme with a different sound, and C represents the rhyming couplet swim/in because these two word rhyme but with a different sound than the previous two couplets.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 146—2
The most common stanza type used in poetry, however, is the quatrain, and a quatrain is usually formed in a patter of two rhyming lines followed by two more rhyming lines. We will discuss rhyme as a technique used in poetry in greater detail in the next Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Try your rhyming ability by creating a poem composed of five rhyming couplets in the form AA BB CC DD EE, which means that each couplet should have a different rhyming sound, one not used previously in the poem. The poem should then be composed of 10 lines. Choose one of the following subjects to use: Favorite subject in school How to succeed in school Something important you have learned this year
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 147—1
Lesson 147
Poetry: Rhyme
Objective: The student will be able to understand the use of rhyme in poetry in order to compose a collection of her own poems of various forms and types. Key Vocabulary: Rhyme Materials Needed: Computer access Literary Selection: There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly by Allan Mills Engage: Engaging Question: Do poems have to rhyme? What does rhyme do for a poem? Technology Integration: The student will use the internet to conduct a search for her favorite nursery rhyme. Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about rhymes and how it is used in poetry. Towards the end of the Lesson you will read There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly aloud. (This can be found at the library or online.) The entire story is told using rhyme as a sound effect. The student will then search the Internet for her favorite nursery rhyme to share during the next Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student print out or transcribe a nursery rhyme (other than “There was an Old Lady…”) in which rhyme is used as a sound effect. Discuss with the student the occurrence of perfect and off rhymes, as well as masculine and feminine rhymes.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 147—1
Lesson 147
Poetry: Rhyme
Do poems have to rhyme? What does rhyme do for a poem? In our study of poetry we have looked at the voice that can be used in a poem as well as the various types of lines that can be used. In the previous Lesson we talked about how rhyme is often used in poems throughout the different types of lines. In this Lesson, we will examine rhyme in greater detail. One of the most important components of a poem is sound. Poetry is meant to be read out loud in order to develop and uncover meaning. One of the reasons poetry is often read out loud is so that the reader can hear and enjoy the sound the poem makes. Rhyme is one of the ways poets create sound in a poem, although as previously mentioned, a poem does not have to rhyme. Rhyme occurs when two sounds agree with each other. Usually rhyme is used at the end of lines in a poem to give balance and allow the poet to create meaning that is pleasing to the ear. Occasionally, however, rhyme can be created within the middle of the line of poetry. There are two types of rhymes that can be used: Perfect rhymes, which have vowels or consonants in common and are composed of synonyms that are true or exact. Examples of perfect rhymes are bug and rug, love and dove, and dear and fear. Off rhymes, which have vowels or consonants in common and are composed of synonyms that are imperfect, partial, or slant. Examples of off rhymes are word and lord, receive and give, and home and come. When using rhyme, if a line is ended with the last word being stressed, the rhyme is called “masculine.” Examine the example below of this occurring: Example: Can you travel very far? And never put gas in your car? You can feel that the last word is being stressed simply by reading the lines out loud to yourself. If a line ends with the last word as an unstressed syllable, the rhyme is called “feminine.” Below is an example of this occurring. Example: You can put your head on my shoulder The air outside seems to be getting colder.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 147—2
Lesson Wrap-Up: There is a famous story/song called “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,” in which the entire story is told using rhyme as a sound effect. Your teacher will read this poem aloud to you. Your assignment is to use your computer to search the Internet for your favorite nursery rhyme. Print out a copy of this nursery rhyme to share during the next Lesson, and be prepared to discuss the poet’s use of masculine or feminine rhyme in each line, as well as whether the lines are perfect or off rhymes.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 148—1
Lesson 148
Poetry: Repetition
Objective: The student will be able to understand the various elements of poetry in order to compose a collection of her own poems of various forms and types. Key Vocabulary: Repetition, Ballad Materials Needed: Computer access Literary Selections: Samples of ballads chosen by the teacher Engage: Engaging Question: What is repetition? What is repetition? Additional Notes to the Teacher: For this Lesson, the student will share the poem they chose and explain about the rhyme pattern they found. The student will also learn about repetition and how it is used in literary forms. Make sure to assess the student’s understanding of rhyme from the previous Lesson by paying close attention to her explanation of the types of rhyme used in the nursery rhyme she chose to read, share, and discuss at the beginning of this Lesson. The student is using ballads to study repetition in this Lesson. Find several ballads to play or read for the student to illustrate the concept of repetition. Discuss the rhyme pattern in the ballad so that the student can identify a pattern of ABCB, ABAB, AABB, or ABAC. Homework Required: The student should be prepared to share and explain aloud her favorite nursery rhyme and the poet’s use of rhyme in it. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student find two or three poems to use as examples of the ballad he will write for the next Lesson.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 148—1
Lesson 148
Poetry: Repetition
What is repetition? What is repetition? To begin this Lesson, you should have a nursery rhyme from the previous Lesson in which you examined in greater detail the poet’s use of rhyme in the poem. Share what you found in your research by reading the poem aloud to your teacher and explaining what you learned about the kinds of rhyme used. Be ready to explain whether the rhyme is a perfect rhyme or an off rhyme. Next, to add to your understanding of the components of a poem, we will look at repetition. Repetition is another type of sound effect used when a word or phrase is used more than once. Again, poets use this type of sound effect to make a statement or create meaning in a poem. If you noticed this Lesson’s engaging question, repetition was used to make you think twice about what we would be studying in the Lesson. Repetition often creates a pattern that appeals to the reader and listener’s ears. It is used when the poet wants the reader to remember a concept or emphasize something of importance in the poem, something worth repeating. A type of poetry commonly known for use of repetition is the ballad. A ballad is a poem that tells a story which is often sung to a tune or read to a beat. The main literary device used in a ballad is repetition, but this is used in different ways, either by having a verse or chorus repeated throughout the poem, or a rhyming pattern. The style of a ballad is created as follows: A ballad tells a story in a simple way. A ballad is written in the third person point of view. A ballad often leaves out details that require the reader to create in his or her own mind. A ballad has some form of repetition. A ballad is often written in quatrains, and usually follow the ABCB, ABAB, AABB, or ABAC forms. Lesson Wrap-Up: In the next Lesson, you will learn how to write your own ballad. To begin that process and get an idea of what a ballad looks and sounds like, use your computer access to search the Internet for ballad poems. Choose two or three poems to examine, read each one several times silently and aloud, and be prepared to use them as examples when you create your own ballad in the next Lesson.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 149—1
Lesson 149
Poetry: The Ballad Poem
Objective: The student will be able to understand the various elements of poetry in order to compose a collection of his or her own poems of various forms and types. Materials Needed: Copies of ballad poems from previous Lessons Engage: Engaging Question: How can repetition be used in a ballad? Can you think of a song that would be an example of this? Extensions: After completing the Lesson activity, the student may choose to illustrate his ballad by creating a piece of artwork (picture, comic, poster, etc) corresponding to the ballad written. Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will write a ballad that tells a simple story. The ballad should consist of eight quatrains, which is 32 lines, include a rhyming pattern, and highlight repetition. The ballad will have eight stanzas of four lines each. His ballad should tell a story about his family. The student’s finished final product, a ballad, will be the assessment of this Lesson. Homework Required: The student was required to research two or three ballad poems in the last Lesson in order to understand what a ballad looks and sounds like for this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Read the student’s poem and identify the rhyme scheme. Ask her why she chose the subject she did, and how she feels about the poem.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 149—1
Lesson 149
Poetry: The Ballad Poem
How can repetition be used in a ballad? Can you think of a song that would be an example of this? You took some time at the end of the last Lesson to use the Internet to find several ballad poems. By now, you should have read through and examined the poet’s use of repetition specifically in each ballad. Next, you will use repetition to write your own ballad. You will write a ballad that tells a simple story. Your ballad should consist of eight quatrains, which is 32 lines, include a rhyming pattern, and highlight repetition. The ballad will have eight stanzas of four lines each. Your ballad should tell a story about your family. To get started, you can use a concept web to help you organize your thoughts and ideas. In the center circle, write the main idea for your ballad. Then, draw eight circles branching out from the center, and in each circle, compose an idea for that specific verse. Using this concept web, you should then be able to compose a rough draft of your ballad. After you have completed the rough draft, read through the ballad aloud several times. Also have someone else read the ballad. Then, make any necessary changes you desire to create the finished, final product. Lesson Wrap-Up: Think about the subject of your poem—why did you choose that subject? What else would you like to write a poem about?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 150—1
Lesson 150
Poetry: Rhythm
Objective: The student will be able to understand the various elements of poetry in order to compose a collection of his or her own poems of various forms and types. Key Vocabulary: Limerick, Rhythm, Dactyl, Iamb, Trochee, Anapest Engage: Engaging Question: What does it mean to have rhythm? How can a person express rhythm? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about rhythm and how it can be used in writing. Find three limericks to share with the student to teach this Lesson. These should be read aloud and shared after the example is given of a limerick in the Lesson. The student will then create three limericks of her own. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student compose three limericks, one on each of the following topics. Emphasize rhythm and rhyme. A limerick about a famous person A limerick about a subject in school A limerick about a book you have read
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 150—1
Lesson 150
Poetry: Rhythm
What does it mean to have rhythm? How can a person express rhythm? A new device used in poetry that we will discuss is called rhythm. Rhythm is the sound and tone that the words and lines make in spoken language. Most people do not speak in a monotone that sounds like a steady hum; their spoken language has some variation and fluctuation in rhythm. Certain words are stressed more than others and spoken in various volumes that rise and fall. You probably don’t even notice that you are speaking in a particular rhythm or varying your volume. In poetry, rhythm is created by the units used in the poem called feet. There are four types of feet that can be used: Iamb—Composed of two syllables with a stress on the second syllable such as in the word to/day. Anapest—Composed of two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable such as in the word dis/a/gree. Trochee—Composed of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable such as in the word sun/ny. Dactyl—Composed of a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables such as in the word el/le/phant. One type of poem which uses stressed and unstressed syllables throughout is called a limerick. A limerick is a poem consisting of five lines that uses rhythm to produce a humorous message. A limerick follows a pattern of AABBA, which means that the first, second, and last lines follow the same rhythm and rhyme and the second and third lines follow the same rhythm and rhyme.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 150—2
Below is an example of a limerick: There once was a big pretty box (8 syllables, ends with “ox” sound) In it lived a small furry fox (8 syllables, ends with “ox” sound) Who scared little boys (5 syllables, ends with “oys” sound) Took all of their toys (5 syllables, ends with “oys” sound). And left them with only some rocks (8 syllables, ends with “ox” sound). Lesson Wrap-Up: Use rhythm and rhyme to create three limerick poems following the same AABBA five-line format. Write three different limericks, one on each of the following subject areas: A limerick about a famous person A limerick about a subject in school A limerick about a book you have read
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 151—1
Lesson 151 Haiku
Objective: The student will be introduced to haiku and respond to published examples of haiku in writing. Key Vocabulary: Haiku Materials Needed: Computer access Engage: Engaging Question: What would it be like to write a poem of just 17 syllables? Technology Integration: Use of a computer and the Internet is necessary for the Lesson Wrap-Up in which the student is asked to find five examples of haiku poetry. Additional Notes to the Teacher: For the next four Lessons, you will engage the student in learning what a haiku poem is and how it is created. The student will perform several activities that will expose him to this type of poetry. Because haiku uses inspiration from the natural world, it is sometimes helpful to use a picture from nature for inspiration. You may wish to provide some pictures which inspired your own haiku to aid your student in this process. The student may wish to look for inspiration in photographs or search for pictures on the Internet. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student use his computer and internet connection to research and find five haiku poems that he especially find interesting and intriguing. Have him print out or copy each of these five haiku, and then write a paragraph response to each haiku explaining what he likes about it, what image it places in his mind, and what he notices about the poet’s use of the words in the haiku.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 151—1
Lesson 151 Haiku
What would it be like to write a poem of just 17 syllables? You have been exposed to several important elements used in poetry over the last several Lessons. For the remaining Lessons in this unit, you will continue to learn how to write different types of poetry. The poetry that you will learn in this Lesson is called a haiku. We will begin by examining some background information on this type of poetry. A haiku is a form of poetry developed in Japan but also quite popular in the United States. It is a form noted for its length (very short) and for the nature of the material in the poem (each haiku focuses around something in nature). Haiku is known for creating a mental picture in the mind of the reader of something from the natural world such as a rainstorm, a tiny flower, or the stars in the sky. There are several guidelines for writing haiku that must be followed in each poem: It must contain only 17 syllables. The first line must have five syllables. The second line must have seven syllables. The third line must have five syllables. The lines do not rhyme. Each haiku must include a word indicating the season to which it pertains. The haiku must have a division between two contrasting parts, where the division indicates a turning point. This break occurs after the first or second line, and is usually marked by a colon or a dash. Each word in a haiku is chosen carefully. The idea is writing a haiku is to give the reader a thoughtful experience in reading it, providing the reader with some form of an experience related to nature and everyday life. Lesson Wrap-Up: You will practice writing haiku in the next Lesson, so in order to get an idea of what this type of poetry looks and sounds like, use the Internet and your computer access to research and find five haiku poems that you especially find interesting and intriguing. Print out or copy each of these five haiku. Then, using a blank sheet of paper, write a paragraph response to each haiku explaining what you like about it, what image it places in your mind, and what you notice about the poet’s use of the words in the haiku.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 152—1
Lesson 152 Haiku
Objective: The student will begin to write original haiku to add to her poetry collection. Key Vocabulary: Haiku Engage: Engaging Question: How do you compose a haiku? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will compose her own haiku which will be put in a small haiku book in a later Lesson. The student will be given the opportunity to brainstorm creative words about the four seasons. She will then write a haiku about each of the seasons, resulting in a total of four original poems. Homework Required: The student should have the haiku poems copied from the last Lesson and the paragraph explanations to draw for this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: By the end of this Lesson, the student will have composed four haiku. You may suggest the student record her poems in a special Journal, or at the very least save them on her computer to read in the future.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 152—1
Lesson 152 Haiku
How do you compose a haiku? In the previous Lesson, you learned about another form of poetry which originated in Japan called haiku. You should have used the Internet to find five haiku poems that you liked and have written a paragraph explanation what you like about each poem. In this Lesson, you will compose your own haiku which will be put in a small haiku book in a later Lesson. To begin, use a blank sheet of paper to brainstorm a list of intriguing and creative words related to each of the four seasons (winter, spring, summer, and fall). When you are brainstorming this list, think of feelings and emotions that you have during these seasons. Think of characteristics of each season or characteristics of holidays occurring during these seasons. Next, for each season, think of a main subject that you will use for each haiku. (You will be writing two haiku poems for each season, so you will need two subjects for each season.) Four haiku will be due at the end of this Lesson and four will be due at the end of the next Lesson. Remember that this subject should be related to a natural occurrence of the season. For example, you may choose to write about the first snowfall of winter or trick-or-treating during Halloween in the fall. After you have completed the brainstorming process, you should take some time to compose one haiku for each season, remembering the mandatory format that a haiku must be written in, which is 17 syllables total. Line one will use five syllables, line two will use seven syllables, and line three will use five syllables. If you need help in remembering what a haiku looks like using this format, refer back to the five haiku you chose to copy from the previous Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: You should now have four completed haiku poems, one for each season, in your repertoire! Part of the appeal of haiku poems is that they are often very “visual”—what kinds of artwork do you think would go well with a haiku?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 153—1
Lesson 153 Haiku
Objective: The student will continue practice in creating original haiku. Key Vocabulary: Haiku Materials Needed: Computer access Engage: Engaging Question: What do you find difficult about writing haiku? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will continue writing four more haiku, again one for each season. The student will then choose his five favorite to create a small haiku book. The student will then share his completed book. Homework Required: The student will need his four haiku poems from the previous Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: The student has composed eight haiku—discuss the sensory nature of poetry with the student—is he writing just to sight, or is he incorporating other senses as well?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 153—1
Lesson 153 Haiku
What do you find difficult about writing haiku? In the last Lesson, you began writing haiku by composing one haiku for each of the four seasons. In this Lesson, you will continue writing four more haiku, again one for each season, and then you will have the opportunity to choose your favorite five haiku to create a small haiku book to share. The steps you should follow to complete this Lesson activity are listed below: Refer to your four haiku poems from the previous Lesson. Read over these four haiku and make any revisions or changes you feel that need to be made to correct the format or add to the reader’s experience. Write a new haiku, illustrating a new natural experience, for each of the four seasons of the year. Read over your four new haiku poems to make any necessary revisions or changes that you feel would make each poem better and more dramatic and creative. Choose your favorite five haiku poems to be included in your haiku book. Use a computer to type out each one of these poems. Lesson Wrap-Up: What senses are you appealing to with your haiku? Is your poem very visual, or do you focus more on sounds? How can you write to appeal to all five senses?
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 154—1
Lesson 154 Haiku
Objective: The student will create a book of original haiku. Key Vocabulary: Haiku Materials Needed: Drawing paper, colored paper, colored pencils, crayons, or markers Engage: Engaging Question: How can my haiku create imagery? Extension: Consider showing examples of traditional Japanese art to the student. Bunjinga, or literati paintings, often accompany Japanese texts (like the student’s poetry book), and there are many examples available online. Ike no Taga and Watanabe Kazan are two good names to start with. Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will be creating a booklet of five illustrated haiku poems as a result of this Lesson. For assessment purposes, read through each of the student’s haiku poems and assess each poem for correct use of the eight guidelines. Homework Required: The student should have her five typed haiku poems from the previous Lesson to use in this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have your student share his poetry book with a friend or, if applicable, classmate.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 154—1
Lesson 154 Haiku
How can my haiku create imagery? In this Lesson, you will be engaged in creating a haiku book using your five favorite haiku poems written during the previous two Lessons. You should type these five poems. Read each poem and use drawing paper and colored pencils or crayons to create a well-made picture that depicts the main natural experience you wrote about in each of the five haiku you produced. You should then take the typed version of each haiku and paste it to the picture you drew for each haiku, cut each picture out and paste it to a colored sheet of paper, and finally, attach all five haiku poems and illustrations together using a stapler. Lesson Wrap-Up: Share your book of poetry with a friend!
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 155—1
Lesson 155
Visual Poetry
Objective: The student will begin the process of creating an original visual poem. Key Vocabulary: Visual poem Materials Needed: Drawing pencil, lined paper, drawing paper Engage: Engaging Question: Can you imagine creating a poem where the shape of the words on paper combines with your word choices to create a poem? For example, a poem about the fish written in the shape of a fish. Do you think this would change the poem at all? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about visual poetry. Providing an example of a visual poem would be helpful to the student. A possible example might be ee, cummings’ poem, loneliness, a leaf falls. The entire structure of the poem reinforces the idea of loneliness. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student sketch out a rough draft of three concrete poems— at this stage the exercise is wholly conceptual, and so it is important the student not be discouraged if it is harder to make a poem “fit” than she imagined.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 155—1
Lesson 155
Visual Poetry
Can you imagine creating a poem where the shape of the words on paper combines with your word choices to create a poem? For example, a poem about the fish written in the shape of a fish. Do you think this would change the poem at all? The next type of poem you will learn how to write is called a visual poem, sometimes also referred to as a concrete poem. Visual poetry uses a specific picture or arrangement of the letters or words in the poem to convey the meaning of the poem, and can be quite fun to write because it allows the poet much creativity and does not require a specific structure. A visual poem takes on the shape of an object or the content the poem discusses. For example, if the poem is about a tree, the poet may choose to write the entire poem in the form of a tree. In this Lesson, you will learn how to create a visual poem. To begin, you will pre-write in order to get your thoughts and ideas down on paper. Using a blank sheet of lined paper, at the top of the page, indicate a possible subject you may want to use for your poem. Next, create two or three sketches related to your subject of the poem. Then, look over each sketch to determine which one will best illustrate the subject and meaning of your poem. From this sketch, brainstorm a list of words related to the subject and the sketch that you could use in the poem to convey meaning. You should repeat the process above two more times so that by the end of this Lesson, you have three different subject/sketch ideas for three different visual poems, as well as a list of brainstormed words that could be used in each poem. It is important to note that there is no specific format for rhyme or rhythm for this type of poem. The poet is free to be as creative as he desires when writing the poem. Lesson Wrap-Up: Use the brainstorming activity completed in this Lesson to write a rough draft of the three visual poems you decided to write.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 156—1
Lesson 156
Visual Poetry
Objective: The student will create three original visual poems. Key Vocabulary: Visual poem Materials Needed: Drawing pencil, poster board, drawing paper, markers Engage: Engaging Question: What makes writing visual poetry fun? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will revise each of their three poems. They will then use three poster boards to creatively display each visual poem. Encourage the student to be as creative as he possibly can! Homework Required: The student will need his three rough drafts of the visual poems he created from the previous Lesson to complete this activity. Lesson Wrap-Up: Visual poetry should be a fun exercise for the student. Take the time to discuss what other topics might make good subjects for a visual poem.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 156—1
Lesson 156
Visual Poetry
What makes writing visual poetry fun? In the last Lesson, you learned a new type of poetry called visual or concrete poetry. This type of poetry uses a picture in the form of a specific shape that depicts the meaning of the poem. For example, a poem about Valentine’s Day might be written in the shape of a heart. It is up to the poet, however, to decide how to place the words and phrases in the poem throughout the shape, based upon the effect the poet is trying to create. The poet writing a Valentine’s Day poem may choose, for example, to write the words around and around the heart from the outside to the inside, or may choose to write the words horizontally across the heart. You created three rough drafts of three different visual poems in the previous Lesson. Complete this activity by first reading through each poem and making any necessary revisions or changes you would like made, and then using a piece of poster board to colorfully and creatively write each visual poem. Be creative and neat, and use blank drawing paper to create a sketch before constructing the poem on poster board. By the end of this Lesson, you will have three poster boards with three different colorful visual poems, one on each board. You may choose to display these poems around your room! How fun! Lesson Wrap-Up: Your experience as a poet is becoming more varied. One of the most enjoyable parts of writing poetry is the freedom to fully express your emotions in creative ways. Take advantage of these opportunities to develop your expressive voice.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 157—1
Lesson 157
Narrative Poetry
Objective: The student will begin to understand the concept of narrative poetry and will prepare to create a narrative poem. Key Vocabulary: Narrative poem Engage: Engaging Question: What do you think free verse means? Knowing what a verse is, what could make it “free”? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about narrative poetry. It is important to explain to the student that with narrative poetry the author must consider plot and story line. The student will then get an opportunity to write her own narrative poem. It will probably be helpful to show the student some examples of narrative poetry. Although The Illiad is probably too advanced, you might show the student an excerpt from The Odyssey, or for complete poems, perhaps Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven or Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Lesson Wrap-Up: Brainstorm with the student over possible topics for her narrative poem.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 157—1
Lesson 157
Narrative Poetry
What do you think free verse means? Knowing what a verse is, what could make it “free”? The final type of poem you will learn how to write is called a free verse narrative, or narrative poem, which is a poem that tells a story. Narrative poetry is easy to write because it is written in free verse, which means that there is not a specific rhyme or rhythmic scheme to the poem that is necessary, although these can occur if the poet chooses. A narrative poem is special because the poet uses literary devices such as similes, metaphors, and personification which we learned at the beginning of the year to create meaning and excitement in the poem. The main thing a poet writing a narrative poem must take into consideration is development of the plot and storyline of the poem. The elements of a short story include a setting, characters, and conflict. All of these elements must also be included within a narrative poem in order to fully tell the story. A narrative poem, however, should be written using specific language that is chosen in order to keep the poem much shorter than a regular short story would be. You will be engaged in attempting to write a narrative poem in this Lesson. The first thing you need to do is to come up with an idea for a story you would like your poem to tell. Using this story idea and a blank sheet of paper, answer the following questions to prepare writing a narrative poem. What characters will be included in your story? Describe each character. Who is the main character of your story? What point of view will your story use? What is the setting of your story? What is the problem in your story? How does this problem begin, and how is the problem eventually solved? What kinds of words and phrases will you use as a poet to portray this story? Lesson Wrap-Up: Writing a narrative poem will give you a great range of expression within a story-telling format. You tell a story without the usual conventions of storytelling, such as paragraphs, topic sentences, and complete sentences. Give your narrative poem detailed thought before you start writing and be sure to include the elements listed above. Don’t forget to have fun with this!
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 158—1
Lesson 158
Narrative Poetry
Objective: The student will write a narrative poem in the free verse style. Key Vocabulary: Narrative poem Materials Needed: Journal Engage: Engaging Question: What is a narrative? What would make a poem narrative? Can you think of an example of narrative poem? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will write a rough draft of a narrative poem. The student may choose to search the Internet for ideas and examples of narrative or free verse poems. You may need to help the student with free verse poetry. The final copy will be due in two Lessons. Homework Required: The student will need the answers to the questions outlined in the last Lesson to complete this activity. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student compose a rough draft of his narrative poem. Encourage the student to consult poetry books and internet sources for reinforcement, encouragement, and inspiration.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 158—1
Lesson 158
Narrative Poetry
What is a narrative? What would make a poem narrative? Can you think of an example of narrative poem? In the previous Lesson, you developed an idea for a story you would like to tell using narrative or free verse poetry. You answered several questions that will help you develop and write your poem in this Lesson. To begin writing your narrative poem, you must first use literary devices to depict the language you used in your answers to the questions from Lesson 157. Look at your descriptions of what kinds of characters you will use, as well as the setting and problem or conflict that your story will be about. Now, try to compose any metaphors, similes, or personification that you can come up with to describe these characters, the setting, and the conflict. This may take some time. Be creative and develop as many ideas as you can. After you have begun your development of the poetic language you will use in your narrative poem, decide upon a format and flow that the poem will take. Will your poem rhyme? Will it follow a specific rhythmic scheme or pattern and if so, what will you use? Finally, make a list of any ideas, sentences, or thoughts that you have in mind to use in your narrative poem to tell your story. You can then use a basic outline to create a rough draft of what your poem will look and sound like: Introduction of the storyline (including the rising action towards the conflict). The climax of the story (which includes the conflict of the story) Conclusion of the story (including the falling action resolving the conflict of the story) Lesson Wrap-Up: Complete the Lesson by composing a rough draft of your narrative poem following the basic outline. The final copy will be due in two Lessons. You may choose to search the Internet for ideas and examples of narrative or free verse poems. Ask your teacher for help on finding free verse poetry.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 159—1
Lesson 159
The Poetry Slam
Objective: The student will experience hearing poetry spoken aloud and will share original poetry with a live audience.
Materials Needed: Copies of all previous poems written during this unit Engage: Engaging Question: What do you think a poetry slam is? Have you ever seen one in person? Additional Notes to the Teacher: You may choose to invite fellow teachers to participate in this activity if this is an option. The student will prepare for a poetry slam. If you have the option of inviting other teachers, you should gather a panel of three judges, and invite students to share their best poem in a competition that is judged using a specific rubric. The student will participate in a poetry slam, or deliver poems in a slam style. The emphasis should be on adding something to the poem with the interpretation, not simply reading the poem or reciting it by rote You may also be able to take your student(s) to a local poetry reading or poetry slam in order to expose the student to others’ poetry and give the opportunity to share her poems with other members of the community. If neither of these two options work for you, invite family members or the student’s friends to find their favorite poem and bring it to share with the group in a party-like setting. Homework Required: The student will need copies of all prior poems she has written throughout this unit. Lesson Wrap-Up: After the slam, have the student write a one-page reflection of the poetry slam.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 159—1
Lesson 159
The Poetry Slam
What do you think a poetry slam is? Have you ever seen one in person? You will be engaged in a poetry slam, which is a competition in which each participant chooses a favorite poem to read and a panel judges each participant based upon a specified rubric in order to declare a winner. You should use this class period to read back through each of the poems you have written throughout this unit. Next, choose a poem you would like to share. This poem should be the one you think represents your best work. This will be the poem you read and share at the poetry slam. Your teacher will arrange for other students or family and friends to also participate in the poetry slam. She will also choose a panel of three judges and provide each judge with the poetry slam rubric to judge each poet. The poet with the highest score will be crowned the poetry slam champion. Good luck! Lesson Wrap-Up: After the poetry slam is completed, write a one-page reflection of the poetry slam, indicating what you liked about the activity, what you may have disliked, and include an explanation of the poem you thought was the best and why. Discuss and reflect upon the impact of reading a poem aloud. Tell why this is important to develop a love for poetry as literature.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 160—1
Lesson 160
Poetry Review
Objective: The student will actively review the poetry unit Lessons in order to perform well on the assessment. Key Vocabulary: Voice, Stanza, Rhyme, Repetition, Couplet, Limerick, Ballad, Haiku, Narrative Engage: Engaging Question: What was your favorite type of poetry? Additional Notes to the Teacher: You should use this Lesson to review with the student the various elements of poetry and types of poetry taught throughout the past several Lessons in preparation for the poetry assessment, which will be given during in the next Lesson. You should review the following items with the student: How to Read Poetry The Elements of Poetry Voice Stanzas Rhyme Rhythm Repetition Couplet The Types of Poetry Apology poem Ballad Limerick Haiku Concrete poem Narrative poem Homework Required: The student should use the Poetry Review as a study guide for the upcoming Poetry Assessment. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student study the Poetry Review at the end of the Student Manual. If time permits, work with the student to review key concepts and terms before assigning further study as homework.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 160—1
Lesson 160
Poetry Review
What was your favorite type of poetry? Turn in your final copy of the narrative poem. In this Lesson, your teacher will be reviewing all of the important concepts taught throughout the poetry unit in order to prepare you for the poetry assessment to be given in the next Lesson. Your teacher will discuss with you how to read poetry, and many elements of poetry including voice, stanza, rhyme, rhythm, repetition, and couplets. You will also discuss six types of poetry: the apology poem, the ballad, the limerick, the haiku, the concrete poem, and the narrative poem. How to Read Poetry The Elements of Poetry Voice Stanzas Rhyme Rhythm Repetition Couplet The Types of Poetry Apology poem Ballad Limerick Haiku Concrete poem Narrative poem Lesson Wrap-Up: Look over the following questions. This is your study guide for the upcoming poetry assessment. Spend time at home answering these questions using your notes and Lesson material from the Poetry Unit.
STUDENT MANUAL
Poetry Review What does voice do for a poem?
What is a stanza?
What are the seven types of stanzas?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 160—2
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 160—3
What is rhyme?
Describe the difference between feminine and masculine rhyme.
Describe the difference between a perfect and an off rhyme.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 160—4
What is repetition?
Describe and give an example of the four types of meter used to create rhythm.
What is a ballad? Describe its form.
STUDENT MANUAL
What is a couplet?
How do you write a limerick?
In what country did the haiku originate?
What is the form of a haiku?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 160—5
STUDENT MANUAL
What are the characteristics of a haiku?
How would you create a narrative poem?
What is a concrete poem?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 160—6
STUDENT MANUAL
What are the steps involved in reading a poem?
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 160—7
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 161—1
Lesson 161
Poetry Assessment
Objective: The student will demonstrate knowledge of poetic forms and devices. Engage: Engaging Question: Do you feel confident reading and writing poetry? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will complete a poetry assessment. The poetry assessment will give you an idea of how much the student learned about the elements and types of poetry taught throughout the poetry unit. Poetry Assessment Answer Key: What is the form of a ballad? A ballad consists of eight quatrains, which is 32 lines, include a rhyming pattern, and highlight repetition. The ballad will have eight stanzas of four lines each. What are the guidelines for writing a haiku? It must contain only 17 syllables. The first line must have five syllables. The second line must have seven syllables. The third line must have five syllables. The lines do not rhyme. Each haiku must include a word indicating the season to which it pertains. The haiku must have a division between two contrasting parts, where the division indicates a turning point. This break occurs after the first or second line, and is usually marked by a colon or a dash. Each word in a haiku is chosen carefully. The idea is writing a haiku is to give the reader a thoughtful experience in reading it, providing the reader with some form of an experience related to nature and everyday life. * It is not necessary that the student has every single one of these, but rather an overall gist of the content. What is most important to remember when writing a haiku? That it is very short (17 syllables) and focuses on subjects related to nature. Describe how sound is important to a poem, making sure to discuss rhythm, repetition, and rhyme. Answers will vary. The student may suggest that sound adds tone, voice and character to a poem. This can be done with rhythm, repetition and rhyme.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 161—2
Explain how to read poetry. Read the poem in its entirety first. Reading the poem aloud to yourself will help you hear what it sounds like. Look at every word and every line individually in the poem to try to uncover its significance to the poem’s meaning. Try to rewrite the poem in your own words, or modern day language if the poem permits you to do so. Examine the various elements of the poem to learn how they are contributing to the poem’s meaning What are the differences between a ballad and a narrative poem? Answers will vary but student may suggest that a ballad is a type of narrative poem. Write the form of a haiku and give an example of a haiku. 5 syllables 7 syllables 5 syllables Examples will vary. What is significant about concrete poetry? The poem is written in the shape of the subject. What is the format of a limerick? A,A,B,B,BA (or AABBA) rhyme pattern. The number of syllables is not crucial. Essay Question: In a well developed paragraph of at least ten complete sentences, explain why it is important to read poetry out loud. Answers will vary but should include that reading a poem aloud allows you to hear the sounds of the poem such as rhyme and rhythm. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review the poetry assessment with the student. Pay particular attention to any questions he was unsure of or couldn’t answer.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 161—1
Lesson 161
Poetry Assessment
Do you feel confident reading and writing poetry? For this Lesson, you will take the Poetry Assessment. Do your best to answer each question to the best of your ability. Good luck! Lesson Wrap-Up: Review the poetry assessment with your teacher. Discuss any questions you were unsure of or unable to answer.
Poetry Assessment Directions: Answer each question to the best of your ability to display your understanding of the elements and types of poetry. What is the form of a ballad?
What are the guidelines for writing a haiku?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 161—2
What is most important to remember when writing a haiku?
Describe how sound is important to a poem, making sure to discuss rhythm, repetition, and rhyme.
Explain how to read poetry.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 161—3
What are the differences between a ballad and a narrative poem?
Write the form of a haiku and give an example of a haiku.
What is significant about concrete poetry?
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 161—4
What is the format of a limerick?
Essay Question: In a well developed paragraph of at least ten complete sentences, explain why it is important to read poetry out loud.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 161—5
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 162—1
Lesson 162
The Narrative Essay
Objective: The student will compose a well-developed paragraph for possible use as a building block in a future narrative essay. Materials Needed: Journal Engage: Engaging Question: What are the benefits of a well written paragraph? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson will begin a mini-unit on writing a narrative essay. The student will be engaged in several different narrative essay prompts and activities over the next several Lessons and will ultimately choose one to write a welldeveloped narrative essay. This Lesson will focus on writing a good, strong paragraph. Lesson Wrap-Up: Read this writing prompt to the student and allow class time for the student to respond in writing in one well written paragraph. Because you have been sick, you did not have time to do your homework and study for the upcoming math test. Describe what it feels like to be unprepared.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 162—1
Lesson 162
The Narrative Essay
Why are the components of a well-written paragraph important to me? In this Lesson, we will begin a unit teaching you how to write a narrative essay. In order to do so, you need to understand how to write a good, strong paragraph because your essay will consist of five of these paragraphs. You have produced several pieces of writing this year. In order to be successful in seventh grade English Language Arts, good paragraph and essay writing skills are essential. A paragraph is a group of sentences that form around a single topic. Each sentence in the paragraph must be related to the topic of the sentence, and should be formed in a logical order that flows and is easy to read. The first sentence of a paragraph is called the topic sentence, thus cluing the reader into the main idea of the paragraph. Each sentence following the topic sentence should explain or support the topic sentence giving examples or detail. To write a good paragraph, you should follow this order:
Topic sentence First supporting sentence with detail or explanation Second supporting sentence with detail or explanation Third supporting sentence with detail or explanation More supporting sentences (if needed) Concluding sentence You will practice writing a good paragraph in this Lesson using a writing prompt that you should respond to in your Journal. In the next two Lessons, you will respond to a writing prompt each time in your Journal, practicing using this format for writing a paragraph. When it comes time to create a narrative essay, you may choose to use one of these prompts to develop. Lesson Wrap-Up: In your writing Journal, respond to the following prompt in a wellwritten paragraph. Because you have been sick, you did not have time to do your homework and study for the upcoming math test. Describe what it feels like to be unprepared.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 163—1
Lesson 163
The Narrative Essay
Objective: The student will compose a well-written narrative essay using well-developed paragraph structure. Materials Needed: Journal Engage: Engaging Question: What would be the significant parts of retelling a particular childhood memory? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will continue learning how to write a narrative essay. In this Lesson, she will focus on the basic five-paragraph format. Using this format, the student will construct a rough draft essay about a personal goal. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student draft a five-paragraph essay following the prompt at the end of the Student Manual.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 163—1
Lesson 163
The Narrative Essay
What would be the significant parts of retelling a particular childhood memory? You should begin the Lesson by writing a well-written paragraph answering the following writing prompt: Choose a vivid event from your childhood—perhaps your first day of school or the first time you fell off your bike. Narrate the events of this childhood memory so that your readers will understand why this event was so important and significant to you. As we begin to learn how to write a narrative essay, there are several characteristics of a narrative essay that are important to focus upon. This Lesson will discuss these characteristics. A narrative essay is written from the perspective of the writer written in the first person point of view. If the narrative essay is your story, write it using “I,” but if it is about a friend or another person you know, write it using “she” or “he.” A narrative is telling a story and should therefore be written in a chronological order. Using flashbacks is a creative idea if you do it well, but generally, you should tell the story in the order that the events occurred. A narrative depends upon details and explanation that support the thesis and main topic. The more details and explanation, the more understanding the reader will have about the topic of the story. When writing a narrative essay, you should use the basic five paragraph format, building your essay around a central point or idea. The introduction should be used to explain this central point, the next three paragraphs should be used to support and explain the central point, and the final paragraph is used as a conclusion of the previous four paragraphs. It is also important to make sure to use many details throughout the essay not only to support the central point of the essay, but to also engage your readers. You want your readers to be excited about reading your piece of writing, and to see your story as real to them and applicable to their own lives. Lesson Wrap-Up: To conclude the Lesson, practice using the five paragraph format (demonstrated in Lesson 108) to construct a rough draft essay answering the following writing prompt: Think of a time when you achieved a personal goal. Tell your readers about the story of how you met your goal, and make sure the readers know why this goal was important to you.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 164—1
Lesson 164
The Narrative Essay
Objective: The student will compose a well-written narrative essay using well-developed paragraph structure. Materials Needed: Journal Engage: Engaging Question: Think about and describe an event in your life that seemed bad at the time but turned out to be good. What made the event change from bad to good when something so negative turned out to have valuable consequences? Additional Notes to the Teacher: This Lesson continues to focus on the narrative essay. In this Lesson, the student will write another narrative essay. Eventually the student will choose his favorite rough draft and make it into a final draft. This Lesson is a partially directed writing exercise. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student select her favorite writing prompt, and be sure that she has her response to that prompt, so that she may turn it into a proper essay in the next Lesson.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 164—1
Lesson 164
The Narrative Essay
In the Lesson 163, you learned the components and characteristics of a well-written narrative essay. You also practiced using the five-paragraph format to compose a rough draft of a narrative essay. Practice this skill one final time before deciding upon one of the four writing prompts you have completed in this unit to develop a final draft of a narrative essay. Begin by using your writing Journal or a piece of paper to respond in a five-paragraph narrative essay to the following prompt: Think about and describe an event in your life that seemed bad at the time but turned out to be good. What made the event change from bad to good when something so negative turned out to have valuable consequences? Lesson Wrap-Up: You have now written four narratives to different writing prompts. Two were paragraphs and two were rough drafts of five paragraph essays. Choose your favorite prompt to create a well-written narrative essay. You will need your response to this chosen writing prompt (either the paragraph from the first two prompts, or the rough draft from the last two prompts) for the next Lesson.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 165—1
Lesson 165
The Narrative Essay
Objective: The student will be able to compose a well-written narrative essay using well-developed paragraph structure. Materials Needed: Computer access, and the chosen writing prompt rough draft to use to compose the narrative essay Engage: Engaging Question: Why is it important for me to revise and edit my narrative essay? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will be using this Lesson to revise and edit her response to the chosen writing prompt she will be using to write a narrative essay. If the student chose one of the two prompts in which she only was required to write a well-developed paragraph, the first thing she will need to do is write a rough draft of the five-paragraph essay. If she chose one of the two final writing prompts, this rough draft should already be completed and she can begin the revision and editing process. Use the following rubric to review the student’s paper, and then go over the rubric together.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 165—2
Narrative Essay Rubric Key:
3 = Good work!
2= Average
1= Needs improvement
Ideas: Writes a composition that clearly expresses a central idea with supporting details in a logical order. 3
2
1
Organization: The events are organized in a clearly logical manner, displaying a clear order of importance of the events which occurred. 3
2
1
Voice: Correct voice is used. 3
2
1
Word Choice: Use of sensory words creates imagery in the writing. 3
2
1
Conventions: Correct use of grammar, spelling, and punctuation are used throughout the entire piece of writing. 3
2
1
Advanced Preparation: The student will need her response to the chosen writing prompt she will be using to compose a well-written narrative essay. Lesson Wrap-Up: The student should have a completed draft, and be ready to turn this early draft into a finished paper next Lesson.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 165—1
Lesson 165
The Narrative Essay
Why is it important for me to revise and edit my narrative essay? You already have experience with revision and editing techniques. The process you learned to use is as follows: Step 1: Give compliments—It is important to give yourself praise for something you liked about your paper. Even if you feel the paper needs improvement, it is helpful to find something good about your work that you can build on later. Step 2: Give suggestions—It is important to be specific and give ideas for how to make the paper better. Pay particular attention to areas included on the rubric you know you will be graded on. Step 3: Make corrections—It is helpful to make corrections in any spelling or grammatical errors that you find when you are revising and editing. It is also often helpful to have another person read your essay and go through the same process to revise and edit, in order to have another person’s view on what needs to be changed. Often times a second person may see and find things that should be fixed that you have missed yourself. Also remember that it is important to read the essay out loud when going through this process, as silent reading often allows you to overlook minor mistakes that you would notice when you hear the mistake read. You should use this class period to complete this revision and editing process yourself. Then allow your teacher or a peer time to complete the revision and editing process on your essay as well. Remember to refer to the rubric in order to make sure you are meeting or exceeding all of the essay requirements. Lesson Wrap-Up: At the end of this Lesson, you should be ready with a revised copy of the essay so that you can type a final copy during the next Lesson.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 166—1
Lesson 166
The Narrative Essay
Objective: The student will be able to compose a well-written narrative essay using well-developed paragraph structure. Materials Needed: Journal, rough draft (revised copy) of the narrative essay, computer access Engage: Engaging Question: What makes your narrative essay unique and fun to read? Technology Integration: The student will need computer access to type his essay. Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will use this class time to add any corrections or revisions to his paper that he feels is necessary. When he feels that his essay is ready, the student will then type his essay. This is the final draft of the paper, which is to be completed by the end of this Lesson. You will then read the essay and provide any comments or insight as appropriate. The student should be assessed on his skills as a writer and how well he meet the specified criteria for the assignment. Homework Required: The student will need his revised copy of the narrative essay in order to complete the final copy. Lesson Wrap-Up: Once the student has completed the final draft of his essay, read and assess the paper. Review the strengths and weaknesses of the paper with the student.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 166—1
Lesson 166
The Narrative Essay
What makes your narrative essay unique and fun to read? You will complete the final copy of your narrative essay, which you have been working on for four Lessons. You should have a revised copy of the rough draft from the last Lesson and should use this period to type the final copy. Again, be sure to meet or exceed all of the requirements as outlined in the rubric, and turn in the final copy to your teacher when you are finished. Lesson Wrap-Up: Your teacher will take the time to read your essay. He or she will then provide any comments or insight as appropriate. You will be assessed on your skills as a writer and how well you meet the specified criteria for the assignment.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 167—1
Lesson 167
Speaking and Listening
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will improve listening skills by observing conversations between people and noting examples of effective and ineffective listening. Engage: Engaging Question: What are some techniques for effective listening? What things do you do to make you a better listener? Is listening an easy or difficult task for you? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, you will begin a final unit on speaking and listening, two very necessary components to a well rounded English Language Arts curriculum, and necessary skills for all students to master in today’s society. Over the next several Lessons, the student will learn the techniques of being a good listener as well as how to develop, produce, and give an effective oral presentation. Although you may only have one student in the classroom, it will be necessary for the student to eventually speak in public in some capacity, whether this be in high school or college courses, or at a job interview, and knowledge of good, effective communication skills will give your student the edge when moving through our ever-competitive society. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student choose a favorite TV show he recently watched that has a lot of dialogue between characters. Ask the student to reflect upon the listening skills that were used in the episode when characters were communicating on a blank sheet of paper in at least one page as indicated by the Lesson Wrap-Up at the end of the student manual.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 167—1
Lesson 167
Speaking and Listening
What are some techniques for effective listening? What things do you do to make you a better listener? Is listening an easy or difficult task for you? In this Lesson you will begin a unit on speaking and listening. Public speaking is a critical skill necessary for success in high school, college, and the world of work. This unit will give you practice in developing this important skill. Also vitally important to strong communication skills are listening skills. You will also get practice in this skill. Expertise in speaking and listening will help you to build success in all areas of your life. Let’s begin learning the technique of good listening. We will focus on those techniques necessary for a person to be an effective listener. There is a big difference between hearing someone speak and really listening to that person speak. When we are listening truly to a person, we are trying to make a connection between their thoughts, feelings, and experiences to our own, as if we are walking in that person’s shoes. Effective listening relies upon understanding of several basic principles: Sometimes a person does not want an answer or opinion on what he is saying— he just wants to be heard. It is important not to be critical and point out the other person’s flaws when listening unless they ask for an honest opinion. It is sometimes easier for a person to consider your opinion when he knows you are truly listening to what he is saying. A good listener will help identify areas of agreement in opinion first, which may help when areas of disagreement are identified. Eye contact is key—a good listener will look the person speaking in the eye and make facial expressions acknowledging that he understands what he is saying and feeling. While being an active listener, there are several important strategies to keep in mind so that the person you are listening to knows you are truly listening. Paraphrase in your own words the message the speaker is portraying when responding to the speaker orally, but do not repeat every word or statement made. Reflect upon the facts given, thoughts and feelings of the speaker, emotions portrayed, and any other clues the speaker is giving, verbal or nonverbal.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 167—2
Look beyond the words to uncover their deeper meaning or message. Try not to speak unless the speaker asks you a question or for an opinion. Restrict the urge to add in your own ideas or thoughts. Answer only questions you are asked to respond to. Ask for clarification if you do not understand something that the speaker says. Again, use good eye contact and body language. Never look bored or critical to the speaker and what he is saying. Lesson Wrap-Up: You will now have a chance to practice the effective listening skills that you learned in this Lesson by completing the following activity: Choose a favorite TV show you recently watched that has a lot of dialogue between characters. Reflect upon the listening skills that were used in the episode when characters were communicating on a blank sheet of paper in at least one page. Were effective listening skills used and how? Give examples of times when effective listening occurred as well as examples of when poor listening skills were used.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 168—1
Lesson 168
Speaking and Listening
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will evaluate his listening skills. Engage: Engaging Question: Are you an effective listener? Why or why not? Are you good at listening to some things (favorite song) and not others (your mother telling you to make you bed)? Why do you think this is? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about effective and ineffective listening techniques. The student will then take a quiz to determine her skills as a listener. After the student has taken the quiz “Are You an effective Listener?,” lead the student in a discussion of her answers to the quiz. Are You an Effective Listener Answer Key: 1. True 2. False 3. False 4. False 5. True 6. False 7. True 8. True 9. True 10. False Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student take the “Are You an Effective Listener” quiz.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 168—1
Lesson 168
Speaking and Listening
Are you an effective listener? Why or why not? Are you good at listening to some things (favorite song) and not others (your mother telling you to make you bed)? Why do you think this is? We will continue our study of listening and speaking by focusing on the things people do to make them ineffective listeners. There has probably been a time or two in your life when you have been speaking to someone only to feel as if she were not listening to a word you were saying. What were the signs of this ineffective listening? Was the person looking everywhere but in your eyes? Was the person nodding as if she understood what you were saying, but you didn’t believe she heard a word you said? Below are the techniques you should avoid so that you are not labeled as an ineffective listener: On / Off listening—This occurs when the person listening is only listening some of the time throughout the conversation, tuning the speaker out when he is bored or does not understand something. In order to correct this problem, the listener should try to pay closer attention to every word the speaker is saying along with the emotions and feelings being portrayed by each word. Red flag listening—This occurs when the speaker says something that gets the listener’s attention abruptly, particularly something the listener does not agree with. The listener may not have heard anything the speaker said prior to this remark, and this can be corrected if the listener eliminates his preconceived notions and opinions prior to beginning the conversation. It may also help if the listener determines if the speaker is supporting his claims by using evidence and reasons. This may help the listener to determine if what the speaker is saying may be true, even if the listener doesn’t agree with the speaker. Open ears, but closed mind listening—This occurs when the listener is listening and hears every word the speaker says, but from the start closes off all desire to try and understand what the speaker is saying because he does not believe or agree with the comments/ opinions being made. This can be corrected simply by coming into the conversation with an honest open mind. Dreamy eye listening—This occurs when the listener is not making good, full eye contact with the speaker, letting the speaker know he hears what he is saying. This can be corrected by focusing on the speaker’s face and mouth as if to try and read his lips and understand every word. Lesson Wrap-Up: To determine if you understand the techniques for effective listening, you should take the quiz entitled “Are you a good listener?” Pay close attention to any questions you miss so that you can make a note of the correct technique to use.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 168—2
Are You an Effective Listener? Directions: Answer true (T) or false (F) to each statement below.
______ 1. It is good to use eye contact when listening to others. ______ 2. Interrupting is a good way to show you have listened to what someone has said and show that you understand the other person’s opinion. ______ 3. Asking questions proves you did not listen and is not a good idea.
______ 4. Facial expressions are distracting and bad when listening.
______ 5. It is rude to focus attention elsewhere when listening. ______ 6. When someone is speaking to you, you should plan out your responses in order to carry on the conversation. ______ 7. Good listening skills involve more than just hearing.
______ 8. People think faster than they speak.
______ 9. Good listening also involves watching a speaker’s body language.
______ 10. It is okay to tune out speakers who use too many “ums” and “ahs.”
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 169—1
Lesson 169
Speaking and Listening
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will interview a partner, prepare the information for an oral report, and practice for the oral presentation. Engage: Engaging Question: What makes a good speaker? Do you notice certain traits or tendencies that a speaker uses that helps hold your attention? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn the basic components of effective public speaking. The student will spend time interviewing a peer and from the information he learns, give an oral presentation about the individual in the next Lesson. This lesson also reviews the key public speaking concepts of topical, self, and audience awareness. Once the student has a handle on these concepts, she will interview a friend, classmate, or family member and prepare a short presentation about that person. Lesson Wrap-Up: After the student practices listening and taking notes, help her to prepare to give an oral presentation, which will be her assignment for Lesson 170.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 169—1
Lesson 169
Speaking and Listening
What makes a good speaker? Do you notice certain traits or tendencies that a speaker uses that helps hold your attention? We will continue our study on effective communication by beginning to examine how to be an effective speaker in preparation for your culminating oral presentation. There are three basic components of effective public speaking that we will discuss. Knowledge—You should always know your subject matter through and through. A good listener can detect when a speaker does not fully know what she is speaking about. It is important that before you begin speaking, you fully research and prepare so that you are confident in your subject because you have strong background and understanding. If you are going to give an oral report on dinosaurs, for example, you would have to know much about the subject in order to convince your audience that you are an expert on the topic, which is the image you should strive to portray. Audience—You should always understand exactly the type of audience you are speaking to, knowing what their background on the subject is in order to help you prepare, as well as any preconceived notions or ideas they may have regarding what you will speak about. If you are speaking to a group of Boy Scouts about camping, you can be confident they know about your subject. If you are speaking to a dance class about camping, you may have to be more basic in your approach to your subject. Yourself—You should always know your own limits and what you can and cannot do Do not bite off more than you can chew in making your oral presentation. Be prepared, knowledgeable, and confident, but don’t try to test the limits. Only speak about what you know and what you could respond to in the event that you are asked a question. Practicing good public speaking skills is essential in order to build and develop these skills. Activity you will now participate in will help you begin to build up these skills in preparation for your culminating oral presentation. The first thing you will need is a partner. If you have a family member or friend available, this would be a good choice; otherwise, you should use your teacher as your partner. You will spend time interviewing your partner, asking the questions below. You should record and make notes of the answers your partner gives you because you will then be using these answers to give a short oral presentation entitled “Getting to Know __________ (insert your partner’s name here)”.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 169—2
In this presentation, you should focus on trying to do three things: Maintain eye contact with your audience Speak clearly, slowly, and confidently Show that you know what you are talking about—that you are knowledgeable of your subject matter (perhaps done by putting main ideas down on notecards to help cue you) Some of the questions you should ask in your interview are: When were you born? Where? How many people are members of your family? Have you ever had any accidents? If so, briefly describe what happened. What activities do you enjoy in your spare time? What is your favorite subject at school? Why? What is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to you? What would you like to do when you get older? What is your favorite time of year? Why? Ask any other questions to which you are interested in finding out the answers. Lesson Wrap-Up: After you have completed your interview, practicing good listening and note-taking skills, you should prepare your short oral presentation and practice giving the presentation, which will be given during the next Lesson.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 170—1
Lesson 170
Speaking and Listening
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will assess a particular public speaking situation and will learn the culminating activity requirements. Engage: Engaging Question: How do you develop a speech? What must every good speech include? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will continue to learn how to be an effective speaker by beginning to learn how to give an effective speech. The student will learn about speaking and listening and how this relates to speech giving. This lesson focuses on situational awareness, and builds on principles learned in lessons 167-169. The student will be tasked with considering his knowledge of the presentation topic, the components of a speech and his own in particular, and goal of his speech. Homework Required: The student will need to have prepared a short, oral presentation based upon the interview conducted during Lesson 169. This presentation will be given during this Lesson. This Lesson will focus on determining the speaking situation. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review with the student the Culminating Oral Presentation Guidelines presented at the end of the student manual.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 170—1
Lesson 170
Speaking and Listening
How do you develop a speech? What must every good speech include? In the previous Lesson, you learned three basic components of an effective speaker, and began practicing using oral presentation and effective speaking skills by conducting an interview and preparing a short, oral presentation on your findings from this interview. You will begin this Lesson by giving this oral presentation. Next, we will continue to learn how to be an effective speaker by beginning to learn how to give an effective speech. In the last Lesson you were briefly introduced to giving a small oral presentation, but the culminating activity at the end of this unit will require you to give an informational speech in great detail, requiring much preparation. The first step in this preparation will be to determine your speaking situation. Determining the Speaking Situation When giving a speech, there are several things that first must be taken into consideration in order to begin preparation for the speech. What are the components of the speech? You will need to know how long your speech must be (the minimum and maximum length if applicable), what type of audience you will be speaking to, and what the requirements of the presentation will be. For example, if you will be required to use a visual aid, you should know this ahead of time. You should also be certain of the type of speech you will be giving. What are you going to speak about? You will have to choose, research, and develop a topic that you will talk about and as previously discussed, be very knowledgeable of this topic to show your audience that you understand fully what you are speaking about. What is the goal of your speech? You should have a goal for giving your speech, which is usually related to the type of speech you will be giving. For example, if you are giving a persuasive speech, your goal will be to persuade your audience to agree with your opinion or to make a change of opinion. What is the central idea of your speech? As discussed so much throughout this course, when you write or speak, you need to have a thesis, a main idea that gives the reader, or the listener, an initial cue as to what you will discuss. This thesis should be clear, concise, and understandable.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 170—2
Culminating Oral Presentation Guidelines Your oral presentation will be an informative speech in which you have reflected upon the past year and everything you have learned and inform your audience of the following things: What you feel the most important English concept you learned this year is and why. What you believe was your best piece of writing and why. How you feel you have grown as a student and why. The topic of your speech should be “My 6th Grade Year in Language Arts.” Often times you would have the option of choosing your own topic for a speech, but since this is your final assessment for this course, the topic choice has been made—how you approach the topic in the form of a speech is up to you. There are several requirements for your speech: Your speech should be at least 3 minutes in length. Your speech must answer all three reflective questions. You must use at least 1 visual aid to add to your speech. You may use note cards to help you remember information (the speech does not need to be memorized).
Lesson Wrap-Up: Now that you have been given information as to how to assess your speech-giving situation, you need to know the particular characteristics that you will need to meet when you give your final oral presentation for this course. The “Culminating Oral Presentation Guidelines” should be discussed with your teacher to learn the requirements for your final project.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 171—1
Lesson 171
The Informative Speech
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will outline an informational speech to be delivered as a culminating project. Key Vocabulary: Informational speech Engage: Engaging Question: What are the different types of speeches? When might a speaker choose one type of speech over another? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In Lessons 171 and 172, the student will learn about the three main types of speeches which include informative speech, persuasive speech, and demonstrative speech. In this Lesson, the student will learn about informative speeches. The student will then create a rough outline for her speech. Lesson Wrap-Up: Reinforce the similarities between presentations and essays, especially in the outline stage. Ask the student how she might translate what she learned about writing reports into what she’ll need to give an oral presentation.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 171—1
Lesson 171
The Informative Speech
What are the different types of speeches? When might a speaker choose one type of speech over another? As you already know, you will be writing and presenting an informative speech in which you reflect upon and share with your audience important concepts you have learned from your year in 6th grade Language Arts. There are, however, other types of speeches, and although you will not be writing or giving one of these other types, you may be asked to do so in the future, and this Lesson will give you information regarding these types. The three main types of speeches include the information or informative speech, the persuasive speech, and the demonstrative speech. Since you will be giving an informational speech, we will discuss this first. The informational speech is designed to inform, teach, or explain a subject or concept that the speaker chooses. Good informative speaking gives you the opportunity to research a topic and develop the topic into a cohesive explanation much like you would in a narrative essay like you just completed. The format of an informative speech should be as follows: Introduction—In the introduction you should have the following: Attention grabber—You want to begin your introduction with something that will get your audience interested and excited in what you are about to talk about. Thesis statement—The thesis statement will clearly and concisely introduce your audience to the main idea of your speech. Transition to the body of your speech. Body Main idea #1 with supporting details, examples, and explanation Transition to the next main idea Main idea #2 with supporting details, examples, and explanation Transition to the next main idea Main idea #3 with supporting details, examples, and explanation Transition to the conclusion Conclusion Restatement of the main ideas discussed in the speech Reassertion of the thesis statement Closing statement or story that leaves the reader with a clear understanding of your speech and a good feeling about what you talked about. Lesson Wrap-Up: If you notice from your previous knowledge of the writing process and specifically the research writing process, the format for an informative speech follows the basic outline for a five-paragraph essay. Since you already have your topic for your informational speech, and you know the three questions that must be answered in the speech, your assignment is to create a rough outline of your speech using the information above. This outline will help you further develop your speech in future Lessons.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 172—1
Lesson 172
The Demonstrative Speech
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will prepare and deliver a demonstrative speech. Key Vocabulary: Demonstrative speech, Persuasive speech Engage: Engaging Question: How comfortable do you think you would be giving a speech in front of a good sized audience? What would you feel confident about? What might you be unsure about? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn about demonstrative and persuasive speeches. He will then write a demonstrative speech and present it orally. Lesson Wrap-Up: The student will prepare a short demonstrative presentation and recite it for you, the teacher. Offer gentle criticism, and be mindful of issues that will be problematic in higher-pressure presentation scenarios.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 172—1
Lesson 172
The Demonstrative Speech
How comfortable do you think you would be giving a speech in front of a good sized audience? What would you feel confident about? What might you be unsure about? In the last Lesson you learned that there are three main types of speeches that are given: informative, demonstrative, and persuasive. There are other types of speeches you may have to give at some point in your life. These three types, however, are the kinds most commonly used in high school and colleges. In this Lesson, you will learn what makes a demonstrative speech and a persuasive speech. The Demonstrative Speech A demonstrative speech is one in which the speaker uses speech to demonstrate the stepby-step process involved in completing some type of activity. Examples of demonstration speech topics might include teaching the audience how to bake a cake, teaching how to create a scrapbook page, or teaching how to write an outline. The speaker in a demonstrative speech is a teacher and must be very specific in the stepby-step instructions of how to complete the topic, much like if she were writing a how-to book. The speaker should know the audience she is speaking to, and approach the speech as if the audience has no idea how to complete the task being taught. In a demonstrative speech, it is important to be creative, engaging, and use props effectively to illuminate the demonstrations being portrayed. The Persuasive Speech A persuasive speech is formatted very similar to the informative speech in that it follows the basic outline for a five-paragraph essay. However, the goal of a persuasive speech is very different because its goal is to convince the audience to agree with the speaker, or to persuade all audience members to come over to the speaker’s side of a particular issue. Topic choice is important in this type of speech. Instead of simply choosing a topic she can talk about from research completed, the speaker giving a persuasive speech must choose a controversial topic that some audience members may agree with and others may disagree with. The speaker should support her arguments by using evidence and reasons. The listener should be able to determine claims that are being supported as opposed to claims that aren’t being supported by evidence and reasons. Examples of topics you could choose to use for a persuasive speech may be school dress code or banning smoking in public areas. Although you will only be required to give an informative speech to end the year, this activity will give you the opportunity to practice giving a demonstrative speech:
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 172—2
You should choose a food that you know how to prepare, particularly one that requires several steps to complete. Next, you will need to write a demonstrative explanation of how to prepare this food item, an explanation that you will use when you give this oral presentation. This recipe can be very simple—you could give a presentation on making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or pouring yourself a bowl of cereal. Of course, if you know how to make something more exciting, you might want to try that instead. Remember that no matter what type of speech you are giving, you should always begin with an introduction on your topic and end with a conclusion. Be specific in your stepby-step process, assuming your teacher has no idea how to make the food item you will discuss. Lesson Wrap-Up: After you have spent time writing and working on the demonstrative speech, you should give this short oral presentation to your teacher. This will again help you conquer your fears of public speaking and practice using the effective public speaking techniques we have discussed thus far in preparation for your final project.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 173—1
Lesson 173
The Introduction
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will write an effective introduction to the culminating speech activity. Engage: Engaging Question: What would make you want to listen to a speech? How could this be something you incorporate into your speech? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will focus on developing an intriguing introduction to his speech. He can use his speech outline from past Lessons to prompt an attention-grabbing introduction. Homework Required: The student will need the rough outline he prepared in Lesson 172. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student write the introduction for his culminating speech.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 173—1
Lesson 173
The Introduction
What would make you want to listen to a speech? How could this be something you incorporate into your speech? As we near the end of our study of speaking and listening and grow closer to the day when you must give your informative speech, we will use the next three Lessons to completely and fully develop the outline you created in Lesson 171. In this Lesson, we will focus on development of the introduction, specifically on the attention grabber you will use and the thesis statement. As previously discussed, a good introduction to a speech (or any piece of writing), includes three main components: Attention grabber Thesis statement Transition statement to the body of the speech The attention grabber should be the very beginning of your speech and is important because it is the way you will draw your audience in to your speech, intrigue the audience in what you are going to talk about, or get the audience excited to hear from you. Without an attention grabber, a poor listener may simply tune out the remainder of your speech, which will limit your ability to meet the goal of your speech—to inform your audience on a topic you feel is important. There are several different techniques to use as attention grabbers: A story—Telling a story at the beginning of your speech will draw your audience in to the topic and show that there can be a personal relationship between the topic and themselves. A question—Beginning a speech by asking a question will allow you to grab the audience’s attention immediately, while also giving the audience members the desire to continue to listen to the remainder of your speech in order to find the answer to the question. A statistic—Using a statistic or important fact to begin a speech will often grab the audience’s attention by shocking the audience to think more deeply about the topic you are about to detail. Humor—Making the audience laugh at the beginning of the speech is an effective technique to grab the attention of the audience members, while also helping relieve any nervousness or stress you may have before the body of the speech begins.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 173—2
A quotation—Starting with a thoughtful quotation, often by a famous person, may be intriguing to the audience members and allow them to think deeper about what you are about to say. After you have grabbed the attention of the audience, you will then need to present your thesis statement, although you should never announce that you are giving your thesis such as by saying “My thesis statement is….” The thesis statement should identify your main idea in one sentence, summarizing your three main points, displaying the argument or presentation you will give to the audience concisely and clearly. The audience members should be able to know what your three main points that you will discuss in your body of the speech are from the thesis statement. Below is an example: Thesis: The Detroit Tigers will win the next World Series championship because of their fine starting pitching, great offense, and consistent fan support. From the thesis statement above, every audience member should be able to hear that the three main points that will be discussed in the body of this speech are the starting pitching of the team, the team offense, and the fans. The final component of your introduction is the transition statement to the body of the speech. A transition statement can be as simple as introducing the audience members to the first topic that will be discussed such as in the following example: “The first reason why the Detroit Tigers will win the World Series championship is because of their incredible starting pitching staff.” You can also use this same process when writing a transition statement between each of the other body paragraphs. Lesson Wrap-Up: Now that you have a better idea of how to write a well-developed introduction to your speech, use your outline as a guide to write the introduction to your speech for this Lesson.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 174—1
Lesson 174 The Body
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will create the body of an informational speech. Engage: Engaging Question: What are some of the elements found in the body of a story or essay? What do you think should be in the body of a speech? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn the components that make up the body of an informative speech. She will learn about how to establish main points and support them with examples and details. The student will then work to construct the body of her speech. Homework Required: The student will need her rough outline prepared several Lessons ago to complete the activity. Lesson Wrap-Up: Discuss parallels between speeches and essays with the student, and then discuss how other previous Lessons inform the speech writing process. What role does grammar play in giving a presentation? What other subjects has the student studied that might make a good presentation? Finally, have the student write the body of his presentation.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 174—1
Lesson 174 The Body
What are some of the elements found in the body of a story or essay? What do you think should be in the body of a speech? In the previous Lesson, we worked on composing a well-written introduction paragraph to your informative speech. You learned that an attention grabber, thesis statement, and transition statement are the keys to gaining your audience’s attention and keeping it as you proceed into the body of your speech, which is the most important information you want to give. In this Lesson, you will learn how to develop the body of your speech. According to what you learned in a previous Lesson, the body of an informative speech consists of the following components: Main point #1 with examples, details, and explanation Transition statement to the next main point Main point #2 with examples, details, and explanation Transition statement to the next main point Main point #3 with examples, details, and explanation Possible transition to the conclusion The key to keeping your audience’s attention and really meeting your goal of informing your audience of the topic you chose is in the details that you give. Examples and explanation for each main point are imperative, and often two or three examples for each main point are helpful. When giving these examples, order is important. You may choose to use chronological order to present your information, which will help your audience follow along, or you may choose to use a topical order instead (based upon the topic). For examples, think about the types of attention grabbers you could use in an introduction, such as a story or a statistic to keep the audience’s attention, and always use a transition statement as discussed in the previous Lesson to introduce the listener (or reader) to the next main point you will discuss. Lesson Wrap-Up: You now have the pieces of information you need to write an effective body to your informative speech. Use the rough outline you created several Lessons ago as a guide. For your informative speech, each question that you were asked to answer should be a main point, and you should then give examples and explanation from what you have learned in previous Lessons to support your claims.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 175—1
Lesson 175
The Conclusion
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will write an effective conclusion to the culminating activity speech. Engage: Engaging Question: What do you think are the necessary components of a conclusion for an informative speech? What might be a good way to wrap things up? Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson, the student will learn how to write a proper conclusion for an informative speech. She will then use her previously created outline to write a conclusion. Homework Required: The student will need her rough outline of the informative speech for this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Conclude the lesson, have the student use their notes and outline to write the conclusion to her oral presentation.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 175—1
Lesson 175
The Conclusion
What do you think are the necessary components of a conclusion for an informative speech? What might be a good way to wrap things up? Thus far, you have written your introduction and the body of your informative speech in preparation for your culminating oral presentation reflecting upon your year in 6th grade Language Arts. In this Lesson, you will learn the components of a good conclusion, and conclude the writing of your speech with the conclusion. The conclusion of an informative speech, as well as any piece of writing, includes three main components: Restatement of the main ideas discussed in the speech. When you restate the main ideas discussed in your speech, you should briefly allude to one or two examples you gave, but do not retell the entire body of the speech; simply retell the three main points. Reassertion of the thesis statement. Closing statement or story that leaves the reader with a clear understanding of your speech and a good feeling about what you talked about. You can again use any of the techniques learned in writing an introduction to leave the audience thinking about your topic, perhaps telling a story if you have not previously done so, or giving a shocking statistic. Depending upon the topic you choose, a story may be a great way to close your speech because it will be the last thing the audience members hear and remember from what you have spoken about. Stories can also be very effective in leaving a lasting memory in the minds and hearts of the audience. For example, if you are speaking about a topic that may tug at the heart of the audience members, such as cancer, you may want to end with a story about a cancer patient not beating the odds, in order to leave a strong emotion with your audience, even if this emotion is sad. Although you would not want to sadden your audience members, emotions are a strong way to create meaning, and sometimes you can use this emotion effectively. Again, however, this depends upon the topic you are speaking about. Lesson Wrap-Up: You should use your rough outline from Lesson 171 to write the conclusion of your speech as a wrap-up to the Lesson.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 176—1
Lesson 176
Revision, Editing, and Practice
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will revise and practice the speech for the culminating activity. Materials Needed: Index cards Engage: Engaging Question: Are there any revisions that need to be made to your informative speech? What are some areas that need improvement? What could possibly make your speech better? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will have the opportunity to revise his informative speech. You may provide extra insight into this revision process. The student should then memorize his speech or write it on index cards in preparation to present his speech. Homework Required: The student will need the rough draft of the informative speech written in the past three Lessons to complete this activity.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 176—1
Lesson 176
Revision, Editing, and Practice
Are there any revisions that need to be made to your informative speech? What are some areas that need improvement? What could possibly make your speech better? Over the past three Lessons, you have written the three pieces of your informative speech: the introduction, body, and conclusion. You will use this time to make any necessary revisions and changes that need to be made to this rough draft, in the same way you have learned to revise and edit a piece of writing. After you have completed any revisions or changes to the rough draft of your speech, you have two choices in order to prepare for Lesson 180, which is when you will make your oral presentation. You have the option of either memorizing your speech or using note cards as cues to help you remember what you want to talk about. You may feel more comfortable giving a speech if you have everything written down in front of you, so you should use the remainder of the Lesson to either work on memorizing your speech or to write out what you feel you will need to have written on 3 x 5 index cards. If you choose to use index cards, write only on one side of each card, and do not write too small because you will not be able to read from the card and maintain good eye contact at the same time. If you do use index cards, it is not necessary to write down every word you will speak. Write down your main ideas and important quotes or facts. Trust your knowledge of the material to speak the details. It is essential that you practice this speech out loud before presenting it. Hearing the words of your speech helps you to remember them. Saying the words out loud shows you potential trouble areas. Some people practice in front of a mirror. Others practice with one person listening. Lesson Wrap-Up: By the end of this Lesson, you should be ready to give your informational speech, either using memorization or the index cards you have the speech written on. You should use the remainder of your time to practice giving your speech. Using a mirror to practice is a good idea because it will allow you to see what you look like when you are speaking. Remember that you must speak slowly, clearly, and maintain good eye contact with your audience in order to be effective. Most people are nervous before giving a speech. Use your nervous energy to make your speech extra special. Have fun!
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 177—1
Lesson 177
The Visual Aid
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will research and create a visual aid to accompany the culminating speech activity. Materials Needed: Copy of the informative speech, art materials, computer access, poster board, scissors, glue, construction paper Engage: Engaging Question: What makes an effective visual aid? What might be a good choice for your particular speech? Technology Integration: Have the student research good visual aids for use in his presentation, and if you have some sort of slideshow software available, work with the student to make an accompanying presentation for his speech. Additional Notes to the Teacher: In this Lesson the student will learn the benefits of including a visual aid in a speech presentation. The student is required to produce a visual aid to use in his oral presentation. You may choose to assign this visual aid based upon the supplies you have at hand, or give the student other options. The student may use the time during this Lesson and the next to complete the visual aid. Homework Required: The student will need his informative speech completed in the previous Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student complete their visual aid if he has not done so already. If the student is satisfied with his visual aid, he should rehearse his presentation.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 177—1
Lesson 177
The Visual Aid
What makes an effective visual aid? What might be a good choice for your particular speech? You should have your informative speech prepared and ready to be presented. In this Lesson, you will learn how to create a visual aid that you will use to supplement your informative speech. It is important to select a visual aid that will add to your informative speech, but not take away from the words and message you are presenting. There are several possibilities that you could choose: Slideshow presentation—You want would to use slideshow software to create a slide show illustrating your main points of your speech, but it would not be a good idea to write the entire speech on the slides of the show. You could also use this slide show to present digital images, charts, tables, or other illustrations in color and clearly so that your audience can see what you are talking about from a different vantage point. Story board—You could create a story board using a science fair-like presentation board in which you map out chronologically the main points of your speech as well as pictures and images that correspond to your topic. The main purpose of a story board is to give your audience an overview of your presentation. Poster—Depending upon your topic, you may choose to simply use some form of artwork to create a poster illustrating either your topic in general or again, the main points that you cover in your speech. A poster should be colorful, pleasing to the eye, creative, and include pictures that attract the audience to your presentation. Movie clip—If you have the resources, you may be able to show a movie or television clip related to your topic, although the clip should be short, and you should make sure to reference the clip immediately after showing it so that you prove its relevance to your audience. The possibilities for visual aids are many, but it is important to follow several guidelines when using them: Always use images that are understandable and visible to everyone watching you—images in a slideshow presentation should be large and obvious. You might use smaller images on a poster or story board, however, because the audience members would most likely come up to view these visual aids after a presentation has been made. Make sure that every image or piece of information is specifically about your subject area and what you talk about in the speech.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 177—2
Use visual aids in moderation. The visual aid should not attract your audience’s eyes away from you or their attention away from what you are speaking about. The aid should help reinforce your topic clearly. Create your own visual aid for your presentation. You should begin by drawing or sketching out what you would like the visual aid to look like. You should also use the time to search the Internet for pictures to use on the visual aid. Be creative but neat, and remember to only include your thesis and main points on the visual aid… not every little detail or example that you will present. You want audience members to become interested in what you will be saying from the visual aid, but not to get every piece of information from the visual aid. They will not effectively listen to your presentation if this occurs. Lesson Wrap-Up: You should work on your visual aid during the remainder of the time period, and will be given the time in Lesson 178 to do so as well.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 178—1
Lesson 178
The Visual Aid
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will create an effective visual aid for the culminating activity. Materials Needed: Computer access, art materials, poster board, scissors, glue, color printer Engage: Engaging Question: What would be a dynamite visual aid to go along with my speech? Technology Integration: Continue the technology integration from Lesson 177, researching good visuals and / or building a slideshow presentation to accompany the student’s speech. Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will use this Lesson to finish her visual aid. Be sure to advise her to carefully consider the most effective way to present this visual. Homework Required: The student will need her visual aid which she began during the previous Lesson for this activity. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review oral presentation materials with the student, and make sure that she is ready to give an oral presentation with compelling visual aids.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 178—1
Lesson 178
The Visual Aid
What would be a dynamite visual aid to go along with my speech? In the last Lesson, you began working on your visual aid for your informative speech. You should use this Lesson to finish and polish this visual aid so that is it complete by the end of the Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Review the components of a good presentation with your instructor— as you will be giving an oral presentation to conclude this exercise, you will want to be sure that you have everything ready to go.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 179—1
Lesson 179
Speech Practice
Objective: The student will be able to use language to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences through narrative and informational presentations. The student will practice the culminating activity aloud. Materials Needed: Prepared Informative speech, completed Visual Aid Engage: Engaging Question: What are you the most confident about when it comes to presenting your speech? What are you most nervous about? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will spend this Lesson preparing for the oral presentation of their speech in Lesson 179. The student should practice giving his speech aloud and incorporating his visual aid just as he will in the final presentation. Advanced Preparation: The student will need his completed informative speech and visual aid for this Lesson. Lesson Wrap-Up: Develop some manner of rehearsal protocol for the student. If the student is in a traditional classroom, all students might break into groups of 2 or 3 and practice with one another. If this is not a practical option, you should have the student rehearse with just one or two friends or family members.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 179—1
Lesson 179
Speech Practice
What are you the most confident about when it comes to presenting your speech? What are you most nervous about? The next Lesson is the final Lesson of 6th grade Language Arts which you will give your oral presentation reflecting back upon what you have learned this year. You will need much practice to be confident in your ability to give this presentation, so this class period is designed to give you the time to complete this preparation. You should practice using your visual aid with the informative speech that you are giving, and if you need a computer or overhead projector, make sure that it is working. Refer back to the Lesson notes on “Speaking and Listening” for reminders of the guidelines for the oral presentation, as well as tips on how to be an effective speaker. The guidelines for oral presentations are given in Lesson 169. Lesson Wrap-Up: You will want to practice your oral presentation by speaking it aloud. Practicing in front of a mirror or a friend or family member is a good idea. It will help you grow comfortable with your material and the situation.
TEACHER MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 180—1
Lesson 180
The Final Oral Presentation
Objective: The student will give a formally prepared speech reflecting on the school year. Materials Needed: The prepared Informative speech and completed Visual aid Engage: Engaging Question: Could you summarize your oral presentation as if you were selling it in a 30 second television commercial? Additional Notes to the Teacher: The student will be giving his final oral presentation during this Lesson. It will be up to you to secure a small audience for the student. If possible, choose other fellow students of the same grade / age, rather than solely family members or friends. If this is not possible, choose several family members to come and view the student’s final presentation. Set up the classroom like an auditorium with a small stage in which the student will stand, as well as with any technological equipment he may need to complete the speech. You may want to create a small program to make the event special, or even provide light refreshments. Finally, if possible, provide a podium with a microphone (can be homemade) that the student will use. The idea is for the student to feel as if he is really making a public presentation. The more formal you can make the setting, the more prepared and confident the student will be to give future presentations in formal settings. To warm the student up before beginning, ask the Engaging Question. It could help the student mentally organize the main points of the speech and become a bit more comfortable at the “podium.” As a final wrap-up, you may choose to have a few audience members critique the student using the informative speech rubric, or you may choose to grade the student only, and then discuss the student’s rubric as well as his overall reflection of the year with the student. Advanced Preparation: The student will need his speech and rough draft prepared, and should dress up professionally to give the speech. Lesson Wrap-Up: Have the student practice giving a “30 second pitch” of the speech he has just given.
STUDENT MANUAL
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS—LESSON 180—1
Lesson 180
The Final Oral Presentation
In this Lesson, you will be giving your final oral presentation. This consists of an informative speech with the topic: “My 6th Grade Year in Language Arts.” The speech should answer the following questions: What do you feel is the most important Language Arts concept you learned this year and why? What do you believe was your best piece of writing and why? How do you feel you have grown as a student and why? Hopefully this speech will have given you the opportunity to reflect back upon all you have read, written, and learned throughout this year to see that you have grown much as a student and in your knowledge of the English Language Arts. Remember to smile, to do your best, and to look your audience members in the eye. Lesson Wrap-Up: Practice giving a “30 second pitch” of the speech you have given.
