Long a and Long e Spellings: Destiny’s Gift By Natasha Anastasia Tarpley Illustrated by Adjoa J. Burrowes Genre: Realistic Fiction – has characters and events that are like those in real life. Skills: Understanding Characters – Character’s words and actions reveal their feelings (emotions), traits (qualities), and motivations (reasons). Story Message – Authors use key details about how characters deal with a problem to give readers a message. Analyze/Evaluate – When you think about how the characters speak and act with each other to get a better understanding of the characters, you analyze. When you decide what a character is like as a person, you evaluate. Compound Sentences – A sentence that tells two complete thoughts. Spelling Long a and Long e Spellings: lay today treat screen yesterday real dream afraid speed explain trail seem leave paint someday sweet tea bait please underneath Lesson Vocabulary: afford – to be able to pay (Kids collect toys for families who can’t afford to buy them.) customers – people who buy something at a store (Some store owners ask customers to donate a dollar to charity.) contacted – got in touch with someone (This girl contacted neighbors by phone and asked for help with projects.) raise – to collect (Many groups have bake sales to raise needed money.) earn – to get something by working (These students are trying to earn enough to help buy new library books.) figure – to work out by thinking (Many schools figure out ways to reuse paper instead of throwing it away.) block – the section of a street between two other streets (Neighbors keep this city block pleasant by having a cleanup day each month.) spreading – stretching something out (With floodwaters spreading, people had to pitch in and stack sandbags.