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388O Theme: Science Fair

Week 33 Preparing to ReadPreparing to Read

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Students will✦ recognize superlatives.✦ identify antonyms.✦ identify root words plus suffixes.

Teacher Tip

PRONUNCIATION If students are having problems reading the words, break them into syllables, read the syllables, and then blend the syllables to read the word.ex • cit • ing bor • ingdis • ap • poin • ted sat • is • fiedfast • est scar • i • esthot • test clear • estjot • ted puz • zl • ingfas • ci • nat • ing scar • ydriz • zly eas • i • lynat • ur • al • ly

✦ Routine 1✦ Transparency 95✦ Skills Practice 2, pp. 25–26

Word Structure Superlatives, Antonyms, and Root Words Plus Suffixes

✦ Write the word lines on the board, or display Transparency 95. The boldfaced words are from the selection.

✦ Using Routine 1, reading the words and sentences, have students read the words, stopping only to blend words that cannot be read fluently.

✦ Discuss the structural features for each line.

exciting boring disappointed satisfied

fastest scariest hottest clearest

jotted tapped puzzling fascinating

scary drizzly easily naturally

Day 1 Line 1

✦ Point out that the words in each pair are antonyms, which means they are opposite in meaning. exciting/boring; disappointed/satisfied

✦ Have students think of other antonyms for each word on the line. dull, thrilling, content, displeased

Line 1

Line 2

Line 3

Line 4

ROUTINE

1

IF . . . students need help understanding the concept of antonyms, THEN . . . discuss more common examples, such as good/bad, tall/short, big/small, and happy/sad.

English Learner

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388PUnit 4 • Lesson 3

Lesson

3The Case of the Gasping GarbageThe Case of the Gasping Garbage

Day 2 Line 2

✦ The words in this line are superlatives.

✦ Review with students that superlative adjectives are used to compare three or more things.

✦ Superlative adverbs compare three or more actions.

✦ For most one-syllable adjectives or adverbs, add -est to form the superlative. Double the final consonant in a CVC word and add -er or -est.

✦ Have volunteers use each superlative adjective or adverb on the line in a sentence and think of more examples of superlative adjectives and adverbs.

IF . . . students are native speakers of Spanish, THEN . . . they may have difficulty pronouncing the -est superlative ending because Spanish does not have s-blends. Provide a clear demonstration of how to produce each sound in the blend, and give students extra practice blending the sounds.IF . . . . students have difficulty pronouncing the -ed ending, THEN . . . remind students that pronunciation of the -ed ending varies; it may be the /ed/ sound (jotted), the /d/ sound (tapped), or the /t/ sound (watched).

English Learner

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Name Date

UNIT

4Lesson 3

Spelling Changes with Suffixes

The spelling of a base word sometimes changes when a suffix is attached to it.

Sometimes the consonant at the end is doubled before the suffix is added.

Example: tap, tapped

Sometimes the final e is removed before adding the -ing ending.

Example: excite, exciting

Sometimes a final y is changed to i before adding a suffix.

Example: scary, scariest

Sometimes the base word doesn’t change at all when a suffix is added.

Example: fast, fastest

Add the suffix in parentheses to the bold-faced base word. Make any necessary changes to the root word. Write the new word on the line.

1. smile (-ed)

2. big (-er)

3. challenge (-ing)

4. fly (-es)

5. snap (-ed)

6. whisper (-ing)

7. light (-ing)

8. scramble (-ing)

Practice A

Focus

Skills Practice 2 • Word Structure UNIT 4 • Lesson 3 25

smiledbigger

challengingflies

snappedwhispering

lightingscrambling

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388Q Theme: Science Fair

Week 33 Preparing to ReadPreparing to Read

Day 3 Line 3

✦ Point out that the words on this line have suffixes that change the spelling of the base word.

✦ In the first two words, the consonant at the end is doubled before the suffix is added.

✦ In the last two words, the final e is removed before adding the -ing ending.

✦ Ask students to think of examples of other words whose spelling changes in these two ways when a suffix is added. wrap/wrapped, drizzle/drizzling

✦ Have students use Skills Practice 2 pages 25–26 to practice spelling changes with suffixes.

IF . . . students need additional help with suffixes, THEN . . . refer to the English Learner Support Guide, Unit 4, Lesson 3. IF . . . . students are native speakers of Spanish, THEN . . . remind them that the English suffix -ly is the same as the Spanish suffix -mente. For example, easily in Spanish is fácilmente. Ask students to name other Spanish adverbs that end in -mente, such as rápidamente (quickly) or lentamente (slowly).

English Learner

Students who are able to recognize structural elements are able to read longer words fluently and automatically. In addition, knowing the meaning of specific roots, affixes, and inflectional endings and how these elements combine to make new words can expand students’ vocabulary knowledge exponentially.(Marsha Roit)

Changes with Suffixes Make sure students understand spelling changes with suffixes.

IF . . . students have difficulty with suffixes,

THEN . . . have them complete Reteach page 89 during Workshop

THEN . . . during Workshop, have them complete Intervention Guide, Unit 4, Lesson 3.

IF . . . students are comfortable with suffixes

THEN . . . write the words snap, cuddle, format, and juggle on the board. Have students add -ed and -ing, and discuss the spelling changes. Snapped/snapping—the final consonant is doubled; cuddled/cuddling—the e is dropped when -ing is added; formatted/formatting—the final consonant is added when both suffixes are added; and juggled/juggling—the e is dropped when -ing is added.

IF . . . students need a challenge with suffixes,

THEN . . . have them complete Challenge Activities page 79 during Workshop.

to Differentiate InstructionFormal Assessment

Skills Practice 2, p. 25

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388RUnit 4 • Lesson 3

Lesson


Day 4 Line 4

✦ Point out that the words on this line also have suffixes that change the spelling of the root word.

✦ Discuss the different ways in which each base word changes as a result of adding the suffix.

✦ Ask students to think of examples of other words whose spelling changes in each of the four ways when a suffix is added. Possible Answers creepy, cuddly, wearily, woolly

Day 5

✦ Have a student point to one word in the lines and select a classmate to use the word in a sentence.

✦ Give a clue for each of the words on the last two word lines, and have students respond with the correct word. For example, for the word drizzly, say, What word is a synonym for rainy?

✦ Have students think of other words that end in the suffixes of the words on the last two lines. Have them share their examples with the class.

Teacher Tip

SUPERLATIVES The superlatives in the lines are formed by adding -est to an adjective or adverb, because the words are short. To form the superlative for most adjectives and adverbs with two or more syllables, add the word most before the word. Irregular superlative adjectives include best for good; worst for bad; most for many or much; and least for little. Irregular superlative adverbs include best for well; worst for badly; farthest and furthest for far.

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388S Theme: Science Fair

Week 33 Reading and RespondingReading and Responding

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✦ Have students use their Writer’s Notebooks to list other examples of mysteries they have read in class or on their own.

✦ Have students compare the elements in each section.

Students will✦ practice comprehension strategies Clarifying,

Visualizing, and Predicting.✦ practice comprehension skills Classify and

Categorize and Drawing Conclusions. ✦ set purposes for reading.✦ learn the elements of mystery.✦ build fluency.

✦ Student Reader, pp. 388–417✦ Routines 3, 4, 6, A✦ Transparencies 2, 66, 96✦ Skills Practice 2, pp. 27–30✦ Home Connection, pp. 43–44 ✦ Listening Library CD✦ Writer’s Notebook

Build Background Activate Prior KnowledgeAsk students the following questions to determine their prior knowledge:

• Has anyone read a mystery before?

• What is a mystery? What elements of a mystery make you want to continue reading?

• Based on the title of this selection and what you already know about mysteries, what predictions can you make about this story?

• How do you think this story might connect to the theme Science Fair?

Background InformationTo help students understand the selection they are going to read, you might want to tell them the following:

• Yeast is a fungus that digests foods to get energy to grow. Yeast’s favorite food is sugar in its various forms—including the starches found in flour that is used to bake bread and other things.

• In bread dough made with yeast, yeast produces carbon dioxide gas. Because the gas cannot escape the stretchy, elastic dough, it causes the dough to inflate, or rise.

IF . . . students do not understand the selection title, THEN . . . explain that many mysteries are titled “The Case of . . . .” Tell students that a case is a crime or mystery that a police officer or detective tries to solve. Mimic gasping, and point out the classroom garbage can to help students understand the rest of the title.

English Learner

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Give each student a copy of Home Connection page 43. This information also is available in Spanish on Home

Connection page 44. Encourage students to discuss “The Case of the Gasping Garbage” with their families and complete the activities provided.

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Clues Problems Wonderings

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388TUnit 4 • Lesson 3

Lesson


Before reading the story, read the Big Idea question. Tell students to keep this question in mind as they read the story.

What steps lead to a good experiment?

BIG Idea

Preview and Prepare Browse✦ Have students read aloud the title and names of the author and the illustrator.

Using Routine 4, the CPW process, have students browse the story. Ask students what this story has to do with the theme Science Fair.

✦ Tell students that because this is fiction, they will use the CPW chart on Transparency 2 to organize information. While they are browsing, have students look for clues that tell them something about the story. For example, students might notice the illustration of garbage can near the furnace. As a class, discuss these clues, and write the information under the C heading. As they browse, also have them look for any problems such as unfamiliar words. For example, students might be unfamiliar with the term mad scientist. Record these under the P heading.

✦ Have students browse the story again. This time, students should look for unfamiliar words, concepts, or ideas. For example, students might wonder why the garbage can is bubbling. Have students convert the information into questions, and write these questions under the W heading. Tell students that you will return to these questions after they have read the story.

Set Purposes✦ Before they read, have students set their purposes for reading the story.

Have them ask themselves such questions as: What does the title tell me about what to expect from the story? What role will science play in this story? Can garbage really gasp? They also can consider the questions listed on the CPW chart.

✦ Have students think about how the theme of the story relates to their personal interests and experiences. In addition, they might want to think about information in the story that could be useful to them as they work on their Inquiry activities.

ROUTINE

4

Transparency 2

The garbage can is near the furnace.

Mad scientist? What is bubbling in the garbage can?

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389

“It won’t even be close,” Lamont said confidently.

Grandma and Aunt Liz called everyone together and explained the rules. “Each team takes a paper,” Aunt Liz said. “Follow the clues one by one. Do your best to hide your findings from the other teams. The first team to find the hidden treasure wins!”

Kezia peered at the paper and read the first clue to Lamont.

His eyes lit up right away. “I know!” he whispered excitedly. “The first clue is at the back of the woods by that old outhouse. I know a shortcut!”

They cut through the neighbor’s yard. They were almost to the back fence when they heard loud barking. It was the neighbor’s big dog, and he was loose! They took off running back to Grandma’s. The dog was in hot pursuit.

They reached Grandma’s porch, flung open the door, and ran inside. The dog turned around and went home.

“It looks like The Victors met their match!” Aunt Liz laughed.

This lesson’s concept word is rigor. Rigor is strict precision. Scientists must complete their experiments with rigor. They must do things precisely, in a certain way. The opposite of rigor is relaxed or careless. What might happen if a scientist was careless in the laboratory? List some problems or dangers.

Card Game Write each vocabulary word on an index card. Write each definition on a separate card. Study the words and definitions. Then mix up the cards. Have a classmate hold up one card at a time. If the card is a vocabulary word, you must give its definition. If the card shows a definition, you must give the vocabulary word that goes with it.

Concept Vocabulary

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VocabularyVocabularyWarm-UpWarm-Up

388

Vocabulary Strategy

Context Clues are hints in the text that help you find the meanings of words. Look at the words drizzly and peered. Use context clues to find each word’s meaning.

Read the article to find the meanings of these words, which are also in “The Case of the Gasping Garbage”:

✦ drizzly✦ techniques✦ overwhelm✦ environment✦ competitor✦ findings✦ peered✦ pursuit

Kezia’s aunt and grandma planned a scavenger hunt every summer for Kezia and her cousins. This was the big day! The morning started out drizzly, but soon the weather cleared.

The twelve cousins divided up into six pairs. Each pair thought up a team name. Kezia and her cousin Lamont decided on “The Victors.” They were sure they would win. They were the oldest, smartest, and fastest of the cousins.

“We know the best techniques for finding clues,” Lamont told Kezia. “We will overwhelm all the younger cousins.”

“Plus we know this environment so well,” Kezia added. “We have been coming to Grandma’s since we were born. Who do you think will be our biggest competitor?”

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389Unit 4 • Lesson 3

Lesson


✦ Use the vocabulary words on Transparency 96 to create fill-in-the-blank sentences. Have students fill in the appropriate vocabulary words. For example: “The little mouse out from his hiding place behind the shed.” peered

✦ Discuss the concept vocabulary word rigor. Ask students how they think the word rigor relates to the theme Science Fair. As students read the selections in this unit, encourage them to think about other words that relate to the theme.

✦ Have students copy the selection vocabulary and concept vocabulary words and definitions into the vocabulary section of their Writer’s Notebooks. They also can include other words that relate to the theme.

Have students complete the Card Game mentioned in the Student Reader. Tell students that if they choose, they can take turns holding up cards. If a player gives the correct word or definition, he or she keeps the card. If not, he or she must put the card back and shuffle the pile again. The player with the most cards when the cards pile is gone wins.

IF . . . students need extra help with vocabulary, THEN . . . see English Learner Support Guide, Unit 4, Lesson 3, or use pictures, objects, drawings, or pantomime to help them visualize the words.

English Learner

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390 Theme: Science Fair


Focus Questions

Have students read the Focus Questions aloud. Encourage students to think about the Focus Questions as they read “The Case of the Gasping Garbage.”

Comprehension SkillsReread “The Case of the Gasping Garbage,” using the following comprehension skills:

Classify and Categorize

• Drawing Conclusions

Reading with a Writer’s EyeReading with a Writer’s Eye focuses on literary elements that authors use to create an enjoyable reading experience. As students read with a writer’s eye, they are encouraged to identify techniques and to use them in their writing. During the rereading of “The Case of the Gasping Garbage,” emphasize the following literary elements:

• Setting a Tone

• Using Dialogue

• Hyperbole

• Alliteration

• Creating Characters

Reading Recommendation Oral ReadingStudents will enjoy reading this story aloud. Encourage students to read the story with appropriate tone, pacing, and expression. This will allow readers and listeners to comprehend and enjoy the text more fully.

ROUTINE

6

Teacher Tip

READING ORALLY To help students improve their listening and oral reading skills, allow them to listen to “The Case of the Gasping Garbage” on the Listening Library CD during Workshop.

Observe students as they read, and use the Comprehension Observation Log to record anecdotal information about each student’s strengths and weaknesses.


390A Theme: Science Fair


As students read the first half of “The Case of the Gasping Garbage,” encourage them to post questions, answers, comments, news articles or other related items on the Concept/Question Board.

Genre

Reading the SelectionMystery

Have students identify the genre of “The Case of the Gasping Garbage.” mysteryIf necessary, remind students of the elements of mystery.

• An investigator investigates and solves the mystery.

• Clues are scattered throughout the work.

• The reader is given new clues only when the investigator finds them.

• Red herrings, or clues leading to a false solution, are scattered among the useful clues.

• There are multiple suspects.

• All suspects seem to have alibis, or explanations that would have prevented them from causing the problem.

• The single solution must be possible and believable, but should not be too obvious.

• The solution must be revealed at the end.

Comprehension StrategiesModel and prompt the use of the following comprehension strategies during the first reading of “The Case of the Gasping Garbage.” Before reading the story, review the Comprehension Strategies Rubrics with students.

• Clarifying

• Visualizing

• Predicting

• Summarizing

Comprehension Strategies RubricsUse the Informal Comprehension Strategies Rubrics to determine whether a student is using any of the strategies listed below. Note which strategies a student is using, instead of the degree to which a student might be using any particular strategy. In addition, encourage the student to identify any strategies other than the ones being taught that he or she is using.

Clarifying✦ The student uses structural elements, context, and questioning to read and

clarify the meanings of unfamiliar words.

✦ The student notes characteristics of the text, such as whether it is difficult to read or whether some sections are more challenging or more important than others.

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390BUnit 4 • Lesson 3

Lesson


✦ The student shows awareness of whether he or she understands the text and takes appropriate action, such as rereading, in order to understand the text better.

✦ The student rereads to reconsider something presented earlier in the text.

Visualizing✦ The student recognizes appropriate places in the text to stop and visualize.

✦ The student visualizes literal ideas or scenes described by the author.

✦ The student makes inferences while visualizing to show understanding of characters’ feelings, mood, and setting. The visualizations go beyond the author’s literal words.

✦ The student uses visualizing differently depending on the type of text (for example, characters, setting, and actions in narratives or a process description in nonfiction).

Predicting✦ The student uses clues in the text and prior knowledge to make predictions.

✦ The student recognizes when predictions are or are not confirmed by the text.

✦ The student updates predictions during reading based on information in the text.

✦ The student identifies why predictions were or were not confirmed. This identification includes missed clues in the text that would have helped make a better prediction.

Summarizing✦ The student gives a summary that includes only the important or main ideas.

✦ The student recognizes when the same ideas are included more than once in a summary and deletes them.

✦ The student draws conclusions from the text in the summary statement.

✦ The student makes global interpretations of the text, such as recognizing how elements of the text fit the genre.

Student Readers can be accessed electronically by using the eStudent Reader at SRAonline.com or on CD-ROM.

to Differentiate InstructionFormal Assessment

Classify and Categorize Note how well students are able to classify and categorize elements of the story.

IF . . . students have difficulty with the comprehension skill Classify and Categorize,

THEN . . . during Workshop, read a passage of the story to students. Suggest several categories, such as characters, events, or objects, and have them classify the information that was just read under the appropriate category.

IF . . . students are comfortable with the comprehension skill Classify and Categorize,

THEN . . . during Workshop, have students work with a partner to create a chart with three to five categories they find in the text.

IF . . . students need a challenge with the comprehension skill Classify and Categorize,

THEN . . . during Workshop, have students consider the mystery genre. Have them classify and categorize the elements of this genre with the elements of another genre they have read in class, such as biography or fantasy.

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391

written by Michele Torrey

illustrated by Ken Gamage

Focus Questions

Why is it important to

observe the world around us?

How does science make the

world less mysterious?

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390

Genre

Comprehension Skill

A mystery has fictional characters who find hidden clues and solve a problem by the end of the story.

Classify and Categorize

As you read, try to find things in the story that are similar to each other.

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Lesson


Using Routine 6, reading the selection, you will read the story over a four-day period.

Day 1 ORAL READ Have students read the first half of the story. Model and prompt the use of the comprehension strategies.

Day 2 ORAL READ Have students finish reading the story. Continue to model and prompt.

Day 3 ORAL READ Have students reread the first half of the story. Focus on the comprehension skills and Reading with a Writer’s Eye.

Day 4 ORAL READ Have students finish reading the story.

Teacher Tip

FLUENCY Model the tone in which the selection is meant to be read, and encourage students to have fun with the reading by continuing in this manner.


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392

CHAPTER

ONE

Introducing Doyle and Fossey.

Science Detectives. Known throughout the fifth grade

for their relentless pursuit of answers. And not just any

answers. The right answers.

On a damp, drizzly day, in an attic not too far away, Drake

Doyle worked alone in his homemade laboratory. The

laboratory was filled with the latest scientific equipment: a

chalkboard, racks of test tubes, flasks and beakers, dozens

of sharpened pencils, and a lab coat with his name on it.

Drake’s hair was quite wild (some would say it stuck

straight up) and the color of toast. Cinnamon toast, that is.

And perched on the end of his nose was a pair of round

glasses, making him look very scientific indeed. Which,

of course, he was.

Monsteronster Missionission

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Week 33

Comprehension StrategiesThis selection is divided into two parts. On the first day, read pages 392–402. On the second day, read pages 403–413.

1 Visualizing Teacher Prompt: Visualizing scenes from the story helps us understand of the text and its tone. What pictures do you see in your mind as you read this page? Possible Student ResponseI see an attic room with lots of scientific equipment and a boy who looks like a scientist. He has glasses, wild hair, and a lab coat.

2 Clarifying Teacher Modeling: Clarifying helps us understand what is happening in a story. Part of this page is handwritten in what looks like quick notes that are incomplete sentences. What is this about? We should to reread the last sentence. It says that Drake scribbled in his notebook. We know he is working on an experiment, so these must be the notes he wrote.

Comprehension Check

Where does the beginning of the story take place? It takes place in Drake Doyle’s homemade laboratory.

Teacher Tip

ONOMATOPOEIA Make sure students recognize the humor on these first two pages. Ask them what words Drake uses in his experiment notes that evoke us to “hear” what is happening. He uses the words fizzed and popped.

Word Structure

Root word plus suffix: suffix -ly drizzly

IF . . . students have a limited vocabulary, THEN . . . they may have trouble visualizing what is described in the text. Use the illustrations on pages 392–393 to show the meanings of unknown words in the text, such as beakers, test tubes, glasses, and laboratory.

English Learner

Reading and RespondingReading and Responding


393

On this damp, drizzly day, an experiment was under way.

A very important experiment.

The solution in the test tube fizzed and popped.

Drake Doyle glanced at his watch,

then scribbled the results in

his lab notebook.

Fizzed and popped.

Right on time.

Not a second late.

Experiment a SUCCESS.

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onsterission

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Lesson


Reading with a Writer’s EyeSetting a Tone✦ Discuss with students that the tone of a piece

of writing expresses how the author feels about the subject. Authors use images, words, and certain types of sentences to set a tone for their writing.

✦ Tell students that one subject in the story is the scientific team of Doyle and Fossey and that Michele Torrey, the author, takes a humorous attitude toward them. The short sentences seem to sound serious but actually help make the story humorous and entertaining.

✦ Read the first two paragraphs aloud using an overly serious tone of voice. Clearly emphasize the end of each sentence by stopping abruptly. The goal is to overuse a serious tone to the point that it is humorous.

✦ Ask students to identify more short sentences on these pages and explain what makes them funny. They may note that the sentence “Cinnamon toast, that is” is funny because its length is supposed to make it sound serious, but the words create a silly effect.

TipPoint out the words pursuit and drizzly. Ask students to use context clues and word structure to determine what the words mean.

IF . . . students are native speakers of Vietnamese, Hmong, or Chinese, THEN . . . they may need extra help understanding the roles of intonation in English (such as to indicate a question) and producing sentence intonation. Vietnamese, Hmong, Chinese are tonal languages, in which intonation determines word meaning.

English Learner


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Call Us. Anytime. 555-7822

394

Drake slapped his notebook shut. (Serious scientists

always slap their notebooks shut.) He shoved his pencil

behind his ear just as the phone rang. “Doyle and Fossey,”

he answered, speaking in his best scientific voice.

Nell Fossey was Drake’s lab partner. They were

in business together. Serious business.

Their business card read:

“Hurry! Hurry! It’s a major emergency!” someone

screamed on the other end of the phone. “There’s a monster

in my garbage can!”

Drake pushed up his glasses with his finger. Obviously,

this was an important phone call. Very important. And

important phone calls were more important than important

experiments. He set his test tubes aside. “Who is this?” he

asked.

“Gabby Talberg,” she shrieked.

“Hurry! Hurry!”

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Week 33

Comprehension Strategies3 Clarifying Teacher Modeling: Drake just answered the phone, and now we are reading who Nell is and what type of business she and Drake run. Maybe we missed something. Is Nell on the phone? We should reread this paragraph to find out. It says that Drake answered the phone by saying “Doyle and Fossey.” Then it explains who Nell Fossey is. Learning about Nell helps us understand why Drake answered the phone using their names instead of saying “hello.”

4 Visualizing Teacher Prompt: What picture does this page create in your mind? Possible Student Response I see an excited and frantic girl yelling into a telephone. Drake is on the other end looking calm and serious, like a grown-up.

Comprehension Check

Who is Nell Fossey? She is Drake’s lab partner and business partner.

Teacher Tip

TONE Have students identify humor on these pages. Possible Answers On page 394, Drake slaps his notebook shut because “serious scientists always slap their notebooks shut.” The second-to-last paragraph repeats the word “important.” On page 395, Gabby thinks there is a “huge-giant-bloodsucking-monster” in her garbage can.

Students who do not seem to be using the reading strategies on their own should be given some prompting to think about, choose, and use strategies as they read. They should listen as classmates who use strategies read the text aloud and discuss strategies during the lesson. Students will probably notice that reading strategies, once learned, come naturally and enhance the meaning and enjoyment of a selection.—Jan Hirshberg



395

“Oh, hi, Gabby.” Gabby Talberg was in Drake’s fifth-

grade class at school. She was a nice girl, even if she did

talk too much. “Now, calm down and speak slowly. What

seems to be the problem?”

“Speak-slowly?-Are-you-nuts?-I-said-there’s-a-huge-

giant-bloodsucking-monster-in-my-garbage-can-and-it’s-

growing-bigger-and-bigger-every-second-and-I’m-alone-

in-the-house-and-it’s-going-to-gobble-me-up-and-I-don’t-

want-to-be-someone’s-dinner!” Gabby gasped for breath.

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Lesson


Reading with a Writer’s EyeUsing Dialogue✦ Discuss with students that dialogue is the

words or lines spoken by the characters. In stories such as “The Case of the Gasping Garbage” it begins and ends with quotation marks. Dialogue adds life to a story and its characters. It helps develop the characters’ personalities and reveal their emotions.

✦ Explain to students that the dialogue on pages 394–395 shows that Drake is very serious about his business. He answers in his best scientific voice and remains calm during the conversation.

✦ Point out that Gabby’s dialogue is punctuated with exclamation points and dashes.

✦ Ask students what Gabby’s dialogue tells them about her. They might note that the exclamation points show she is panicked or that the hyphens show she is speaking so quickly that her words are running together.

IF . . . students are native speakers of Spanish, THEN . . . use pages 394–395 to remind them that in English, exclamation points and question marks are placed only at the end of sentences, never at the beginning.

English Learner

Teacher Tip

WORD BANK As students continue to read, they should look for words related to the theme Science Fair and other headings that they can add to the Word Bank.


390-415_609647_U4L3.indd 8 11/30/06 11:15:56 AM

396

Drake was excited. This could prove to be a great day for

Doyle and Fossey, Science Detectives. They’d never had a

monster assignment before. And, of course, it would be a

great day for the small town of Mossy Lake. They’d publish

their findings in the local newspaper. GARBAGE-EATING

MONSTER DISCOVERED! MOSSY LAKE’S GARBAGE

PROBLEMS SOLVED! Maybe they’d even lecture at Mossy

Lake University!

But Drake couldn’t allow his excitement to overwhelm

his good scientific sense. That was the first rule of science.

And Drake was a stickler about rules of science. He cleared

his throat and forced himself to speak calmly. “What makes

you think there’s a monster?” he asked.

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Week 33

Comprehension Strategies5 Predicting Teacher Prompt: Making predictions about what will happen helps us check our understanding and engages us in the text. Drake is imagining that he and Nell will write a story for the newspaper about their experience. Let’s make some predictions. Possible Student ResponseDrake and Nell are fifth graders, so I predict that there will not be a newspaper story and that a monster probably is not in Gabby’s trash can.

6 Clarifying Teacher Modeling: In this paragraph, Drake imagines that he will lecture at Mossy Lake University. I am going to use context clues to understand the word lecture. A university is a college or school for people who have finished high school. At universities professors are the teachers. They lecture while their students listen. Drake is thinking about telling others about his adventures, not about listening. So a lecture must be a type of speech that teaches people about something.

7 Clarifying Teacher Prompt: This paragraph says that Frisco is a bad scientist. Then it says he is a mad scientist. We need to clarify what it means to be a bad or a mad scientist. Does anyone have any ideas? Possible Student Response Bad might mean that he is not good at science or that he is not as careful as Drake is. Mad means that he is crazy. The next paragraph says that he doesn’t follow directions when he does experiments.

Comprehension Check

Why does Drake remain calm? He does not want excitement to overwhelm his good scientific sense.

IF . . . students are not familiar with the term stickler, THEN . . . explain that a stickler is a person who is strict about following rules or a person who insists on always doing something in a certain way.

English LearnerTeacher Tip

CLARIFYING Encourage students to mention details or ideas that need to be clarified. You could have volunteers share the methods they use to make clarifications.



397

“All kinds of weird gasping noises are coming from

my garbage can. Something’s inside. Hurry, Drake, you

have to come over immediately and get rid of it. Because

if you don’t, I’ll just have to call James Frisco.”

Great Scott! thought Drake, horrified. Not James

Frisco! Frisco was in their fifth-grade class at school.

Frisco was a competitor. Frisco was a scientist, but

he was a bad scientist. A very bad scientist. A mad

scientist, you might say.

Frisco’s business card read:

Why was Frisco such a bad mad scientist? Because if

Frisco didn’t like a number, he erased it. Because if an

experiment asked for pink, Frisco used blue. Because if

an experiment called for two, Frisco used one. (Or three.)

But most especially, because if an experiment said “Adult

Supervision Required, OR ELSE!”

Frisco did it anyway. Alone.



Lesson


Comprehension SkillsDrawing Conclusions ✦ Explain to students that readers draw

conclusions when they take information or clues from a story and use the information to make a statement about a character or event.

✦ Ask students what conclusions they can draw from the information on these pages. Remind students that the conclusions they draw might not be stated directly in the story, but should be supported by clues in the text.

✦ After reading page 396, ask students what conclusions they can draw about Drake’s expectations for himself and his business.Possible Answers Because of his ideas about publishing and lecturing, I think that Drake expects to solve Gabby’s mystery and that he has big dreams for what he hopes will result from this adventure. OR From Drake’s excitement about Gabby’s request, I conclude that Drake fully believes that Gabby could have a monster in her garbage can.

✦ After students read page 397, point out that they have been introduced to a new character, Frisco. Have them draw conclusions about Frisco and Drake from the information on this page. Possible Answers From the examples of Frisco’s behavior, I conclude that Frisco likes to take chances and does not like to follow scientific rules. OR From Drake’s opinion of Frisco, it appears that Drake, unlike Frisco, likes to follow scientific rules and takes them very seriously.

TipPoint out the words findings, overwhelm, and competitor. Ask students to use context clues and word structure to determine what the words mean.

Expanding assignment (ә • sīn’ • mә nt) n. a task given to someone by someone elseWe finished our writing assignment one day early.publish (pu’ • blish) v. to print for the public to readAuthors publish their writing in books, magazines, and journals. gasping (gasp’ • ing) adj. sounding like short, sudden breathsStrange gasping noises were coming from the basement.


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398

Drake knew that if Gabby hired Frisco, there was no

telling what could happen. Knowing Frisco’s sloppy

scientific techniques, Frisco might let the monster out of

the can, and he and Gabby would never be seen again!

Gobbled in the blink of an eye!

“Drake,” said Gabby, “Drake, are you there? I said you

have to come over immediately and get rid of it or else I’ll

call Frisco!”

“Check. I’ll be right there.”

Click.

Drake phoned Nell. She was the most fabulous partner

an amateur scientist and detective genius could have.

Whenever they had a serious case, Nell dropped

everything and reported for duty.

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Week 33

Comprehension Strategies8 Clarifying Teacher Modeling: There are several difficult words in this mystery. We should clarify the word amateur. Because Nell is young, maybe amateur means “young.” It might also mean that she is new at being a scientist. Let’s look it up in the dictionary to be sure. The definition says that an amateur is “someone who is involved in an activity for fun and not as a profession.” It is also “a person who is not an expert,” so my guess was pretty close.

9 Summarizing Teacher Prompt: Summarizing is one way to check our understanding. Let us identify the most important ideas and details on these two pages. Possible Student Response Drake does not want Gabby to hire Frisco, so Drake tells her he will come over immediately to investigate the monster in the can. First, he calls his reliable partner Nell, who agrees to meet him right away. Nell is described as a fast runner. She has dark hair in a ponytail and is wearing a baseball hat. They arrive at Gabby’s and knock on the door.

Comprehension Check

Who is Frisco? Frisco is a scientist who is Drake’s and Nell’s business competitor.

Word Structure

Superlatives: fast faster fastest

IF . . . students are native speakers of French, THEN . . . point out that the word technique is a French word that has been adopted into English. Ask students to compare the French and English pronunciations of the word.

English Learner



399

“Doyle and Fossey,” she answered, picking up the phone

on its first ring.

“Drake here. Meet me at Gabby’s house right away.

Gabby’s garbage is gasping.”

“Right.”

Click.

Nell was already waiting on Gabby’s porch by the time

Drake arrived. He wasn’t surprised, as she was the fastest

runner in the fifth grade. With her coffee-colored hair

pulled back in a no-nonsense ponytail, her scientist cap

shoved atop her head, and her mouth set in a firm line,

she looked ready to take on this most difficult case.

“Afternoon, Scientist Nell.”

“Afternoon, Detective Doyle.” And so saying, Nell

rapped sharply on the door.



Lesson


Teacher Tip

ALLITERATION Have students create alliterations using the first sound in their names.

Reading with a Writer’s EyeAlliteration✦ Discuss with students that alliteration is

the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, as in the title of this story, “The Case of the Gasping Garbage.”

✦ Tell students that alliteration is often found in poetry but also can be used in fiction. When authors use alliteration in fiction, they often are trying to entertain their readers.

✦ Point out how Torrey uses alliteration in the description of Nell on page 399: “no-nonsense ponytail” and “coffee-colored hair.” Explain that this description is of a girl who looks practical and down-to-earth, but that the author’s words help keep the tone upbeat and fun.

✦ Ask students to identify another example of alliteration on this page and explain what makes it funny. Possible Answer “Detective Doyle” is another example. This is funny because the children are trying to act very professional, but using the D sound twice makes Nell’s greeting sound humorous.

IF . . . students are native speakers of Spanish, THEN . . . point out that the rules for pronouncing the letter g in English are similar to those in Spanish. In Spanish, the letter g is pronounced with the /g/ sound except when it precedes i or e. In those cases, it is pronounced like the Spanish j (similar to the /h/ sound). In English, g preceding i or e is usually pronounced with the /j/ sound. Use the words garbage and garage to demonstrate.

English Learner

TipPoint out the word technique. Ask students to use context clues to determine what the word means.


390-415_609647_U4L3.indd 12 11/30/06 11:16:48 AM

400

Inside Gabby’s house, Gabby pointed to a dark corner

of the garage. “There,” she whispered. “There’s the

bloodsucking monster. Inside that garbage can. Hurry, get

rid of it before it eats us all.”

Suddenly, the garbage can gasped.

It trembled.

It burped and yurped.

It belched and yelched.

All in all, it was very scary indeed.

Drake and Nell immediately went to work. They pulled on

surgical gloves.

Snap!

Gabby edged toward the door. “You’re not going to take

off the lid, are you?”

“If there’s a monster inside,” Drake replied, “removing

the lid would be most foolish. Now, stand back, we’ll take it

from here.”

They tapped the sides of the can. “Sounds hollow,”

whispered Nell. She scribbled in her lab notebook and

tapped again.

Drake sniffed the air. “Smells like fresh-baked bread,”

he observed. “Hmm. That reminds me. Ms. Talberg,

isn’t your dad a baker?”

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Week 33

Comprehension Strategies0 Visualizing Teacher Prompt: What do the author’s words help you see in your mind? Possible Student Response I see a trash can that is shaking a little, and the lid is rising up as the can burps.

a Predicting Teacher Prompt: Tell students that at this point in the selection, they are trying to solve the mystery along with Drake and Nell and that they must take their clues from the young scientists’ observations. Nell says that the can sounds hollow, and Drake smells freshly baked bread. What predictions do you have at this point?Possible Student Response I predict that they will not find a monster in the can. Maybe the mystery is caused by food or something that Mr. Talberg put in the can.

Comprehension Check

What is the problem with Gabby’s garbage can? It is trembling and gasping.

Word Structure

Root word plus suffix: suffix -ly scary suffix -ed trapped

IF . . . students are confused by the words yurped and yelched, THEN . . . make sure they understand that these are not real words. The author created these words to sound like the noises coming from the garbage can.

English Learner



401



Lesson


Teacher Tip

CHECKING UNDERSTANDING Readers constantly evaluate their understanding of what they read. Stop often to ensure that students are doing this.

Reading with a Writer’s EyeHyperbole✦ Discuss with students that hyperbole is a type

of extreme exaggeration. Torrey uses hyperbole to create a humorous effect. For example, on page 400, Gabby exaggerates the danger of the mysterious beast in the garbage can when she calls it a “bloodsucking monster.”

✦ Ask students to identify another example of hyperbole on page 400 and explain how and what it describes. Possible Answer When Gabby says, “Hurry, get rid of it before it eats us all,” she is exaggerating the threat that is posed by the garbage can, which she believes contains a monster. Most likely the garbage can will not eat anyone, but her hysterical personality and the mysterious possibility that something is there adds humor and interest to the story.

Expanding trembled (trem’ bә ld) v. past tense of tremble: to shakeThe old engine trembled and rumbled loudly.


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