Addie in Charge Genre: Historical Fiction Author’s Purpose: Inform and Entertain Skill: Character By: Laurie Lawlor Compiled by Terry Sams, PES

Summary   It's hard enough for a nine-year-old girl to take care of herself, her little brother, and a family friend's farm for two days.  Then a prairie fire breaks out, and nothing will stop it.  Addie remembers her father's advice - go where there's nothing to burn.  So Addie takes her brother and heads for the well.  What a spot to be in!

Historical Fiction Historical fiction is realistic fiction that takes place in the past. The characters, setting, problems and events are based on things that really did or could have happened during a past time period.

Comprehension Skill: Character Characters are the people or animals in a story or non-fiction article. You can learn about characters by what they think, do, and say. You can also learn about characters by paying attention to how they are treated or talked about by other characters.

Practice Character Word Box smart, silly, brave, careful, mean, responsible, shy, lazy

Comprehension Skill Review – Theme TE 129b The theme is what the author wants readers to learn from a story. It is the story’s “big idea.” Most authors do not tell us what the big idea is -readers have to figure it out for themselves. A good way to find out the theme is to ask, What does the author want me to learn from this story?

Which of the following sentences is the theme of Addie in Charge? Practice Theme Which of the following sentences is the theme of Addie in Charge? Family members help each other. Family members fight sometimes. Pioneer life is different from life today.

Vocabulary Skill – Context Clues: Unfamiliar Words When you see unfamiliar words, use context clues, or words around the unfamiliar word, to figure out its meaning. The context may give a definition or an explanation. Sometimes a synonym is used as a context clue. Example: Pedro could hear the loud, terrified bellows of animals trying to escape.

Research Skill – Parts of a Book TE 129j Table of contents – listing of the chapter and lesson titles and the page on which each one begins found in the front of the book. Glossary– dictionary of important terms in the book found at the end of a book. Index - an alphabetical listing of subjects covered in the book. Also in the back of the book

Research Skill – Parts of a Book TE 129j Section heads, captions, marginal notes, and headnotes are text organizers found within a chapter. Section heads are titles of sections Captions are text under pictures Marginal notes are additional facts noted in the margin Headnotes are introductory text to help you decide at a glance what the information is about.

Weekly Fluency Check - Read with Expression TE 43d129d Students should read with expression. For example, they should match the tone of voice to the tone of the piece. Addie in Charge combines a great deal of action and emotion in each of this passage. Read the text as if you are relating the story of the prairie fire. Go to pages 121-122, beginning with “Suddently Addie . . . “

Where are Addie’s parents and brother at the beginning of the story? Review Pages 113 - 119 Where are Addie’s parents and brother at the beginning of the story? What clues show that Addie is quite grown-up and dependable? What things happen that lead Addie to see the glow in the sky? Tell in sequence 4 things.

Why did Addie climb into the well? Review Pages 120 - 126 Why did Addie climb into the well? What did George think when he found a scrap of Addie’s bonnet? What was the most important thing Addie did in this story?

Writing Assignment Think about Addie’s character. What actions does she take to save the Fency’s farm and then to save herself and Burt? Tell 4 things in sequence. Give a summary (retell) of the story using 6-8 sentences.

Other Good Stuff Character Practice ABC Spelling Practice Hangman using the spelling words Spelling Quiz for our words Concentration with vocabulary What was life like for the pioneers? Reading Test Spelling Test

Visit a Sod House Sod House Museum - Gothenburg, Nebraska Visit the sod house we read about the week this week. Look inside and outside. Observe how it was made. Think about the new sod house Addie, from the story "Addie in Charge," will live in. http://websteader.com/wbstdsodmuzm.htm

More Fun Stuff Simple and compound sentences Pioneer Life in America Visit the website about pioneer life. Find topics on the website and record about 5 things that you did not know about pioneer life. Westward Expansion

Say It! adopt crouched smarted bellows billows

More Words to Know charred cinders engulf firebreak illuminated

bellows – makes a loud, deep noise

billows great waves of smoke, flame, or sound

tufts bunches of feathers, hair, or grass held together at one end

crouched stooped low with bent legs

smarted felt or caused sharp pain

charred burned enough to blacken

cinders burned or partially burned pieces of coal or wood

engulf submerge; immerse; overwhelm

firebreak a strip of land made to check the spread of prairie fire

illuminated lit up; made bright

Annie heard the loud bellows of the animals.

Annie heard the loud bellows of the animals.

The cabin was on fire and the smoke went up in billows.

The cabin was on fire and the smoke went up in billows.

The sand smarted my face.

The sand smarted my face.

I crouched down to hide from my friend.

I crouched down to hide from my friend.

The tufts of grass went up in flames.

The tufts of grass went up in flames.

Spelling Words Words with thr, scr, str, and squ throat through threat thrill screen scratch scream scrub skyscraper strange

Spelling Words Words with thr, scr, str, and squ street strike strawberry strength square squeeze squeal squirm squirt

This Week’s Word Wall Words Click and type your own words for this week:

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.

throat

through

threat

thrown

thrill

screen

scratch

scream

scrub

skyscraper

strange

street

strike

strawberry

strength

square

squeeze

squeal

squirm

squirt

Where are Addie’s parents and brother at the beginning of the story? Review Pages 113 - 119 Where are Addie’s parents and brother at the beginning of the story? What clues show that Addie is quite grown-up and dependable? What things happen that lead Addie to see the glow in the sky? Tell in sequence 4 things.

Why did Addie climb into the well? Review Pages 120 - 126 Why did Addie climb into the well? What did George think when he found a scrap of Addie’s bonnet? What was the most important thing Addie did in this story?

Writing Assignment Think about Addie’s character. What actions does she take to save the Fency’s farm and then to save herself and Burt? Tell 4 things in sequence. Give a summary (retell) of the story using 6-8 sentences.

GREAT JOB!