By Laura Ingalls Wilder Illustrations by Garth Williams The Swimming Hole Genre: Classic Historical Fiction Author’s Purpose: Inform, Entertain Reading Skill: Theme

Summary Laura loves wading in the creek of her prairie home. But when Ma and Pa take her to the swimming hole, she realizes that she loves swimming even more. Laura knows that she is never supposed to go to the swimming hole without a grownup to take her. One hot day, though, she just can't resist heading for the swimming hole's cool water. One thing that stops her from going in the water is a fierce badger that snarls at her and frightens her into returning home. Laura loves wading in the creek of her prairie home. But when Ma and Pa take her to the swimming hole, she realizes that she loves swimming even more. Laura knows that she is never supposed to go to the swimming hole without a grownup to take her. One hot day, though, she just can't resist heading for the swimming hole's cool water. One thing that stops her from going in the water is a fierce badger that snarls at her and frightens her into returning home.

Genre: Historical Fiction  Historical Fiction  Historical Fiction is fiction that takes place in the past.   The author makes up the characters and events, but the characters and events seem real.   The setting is important, and the problems and events are based on things that really did or could have happened during the time period.

Comprehension Skill - Theme Theme is the underlying meaning or “big idea” of a story. Sometimes an author states the theme directly. Sometimes readers have to figure out the theme on their own, using evidence from the text to support their big idea.

Vocabulary Skill – Antonyms   Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings.   Many writers create sentences in which a known word may be used as a clue to the meaning of an antonym.   Examples : I’m not happy, I’m distraught. She waded through the shallow creed because it wasn’t too deep to cross.

Comprehension Review – Cause and EffectCause and Effect   An effect is something that happen Ask yourself the question What happens?   A cause is something that makes an effect happen Ask yourself Why did it happen? Click on the words “Cause and Effect” to practice the skill.

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Writing Assignment Write a paragraph telling whether you are more like Mary or more like Laura. Give specific reasons for your answer. Be sure to proofread for punctuation and grammar. Write a paragraph telling whether you are more like Mary or more like Laura. Give specific reasons for your answer. Be sure to proofread for punctuation and grammar.

Weekly Fluency Check - Read with Expression ● Students should match the tone of voice to the tone of the piece. In this passage the tone of the story is light and cheery. But soon the tone becomes more serious when Laura gets dunked. This change should reflect in the readers voice.  Go to pages , beginning with “Everything was watery...”

Say It!   bristled   dugout   jointed   naughty  punish  rushes  shallow

More Words to Know badger tableland frightful

bristled  had one's hair stand up straight

dugout  a shelter formed by digging into the side of a hill Click on the word to see real pioneer dugouts.

rushes  grasslike plants with hollow stems that grow in wet places

jointed  having places where two parts join together; having joints

naughty  bad; not behaving well

punish  to discipline; cause pain for doing something wrong

shallow  not deep

badger  a gray hairy animal that feeds at night and lives in a hole Click on the word badger to hear his sound! Give it time to load.

tableland  a high plain; a plateau

frightful   causing fear or terror

Long hair bristled along the animal’s back.

Laura lived in a dugout.

The jointed rushes swayed in the wind.

The naughty girl slapped William.

They passed a high, almost straight-up wall of earth called a tableland.

The man said, “I will have to punish you for hitting her.”

The pool is to shallow to swim in.

The pool is too shallow to swim in.

That was a frightful experience when I heard that awful sound.

I waded out into the water where the rushes grew.

Review Questions 1. Why do you think Laura and Mary are told never to go near the hole? 2. How does Laura act at the swimming hole? What does this say about her character? 3. Do you think Laura really understands why “being good could never be as hard as being watched”? Why or why not? 4. Why do you think Mrs. Wilder chose the prairie as the setting of her books?

Review Questions 2 1. What part does the badger play in the story? 2. Why do Ma and Pa not want the girls to go to the swimming hole? 3. What is the theme (big idea) of this story? 4. What troubled Laura the most after returning home after going near the swimming hole? 5. How does Laura probably feel about her parents?

Spelling Words Homophones  wood  would  too  two  to  their  there  they’re  your  you’re

Spelling Words Homophones  beat  beet  break  brake  clothes  close  piece  peace  thrown  throne

Let’s review our words. Watch carefully because they will flash on the screen for just a moment. We will clap as we spell the word. Don’t be fooled this week. You have to get the correct homophone in the sentence!

throne

thrown

peace

piece

close

clothes

brake

break

beet

beat

you’re

your

they’re

there

their

to

two

too

would

wood

GREAT JOB!