Dear Mr. Henshaw Genre: Realistic Fiction Genre: Realistic Fiction Realistic characters and events come to life in a fictional plot. Realistic characters and events come to life in a fictional plot. Summary: Summary: After years of corresponding with and writing in his diary to Mr. Henshaw. Leigh finally has the chance to meet with a writer when he wins “Honorable Mention” in a writing contest at school. After years of corresponding with and writing in his diary to Mr. Henshaw. Leigh finally has the chance to meet with a writer when he wins “Honorable Mention” in a writing contest at school.

Background 414K The other stories have all described relationships between people. The other stories have all described relationships between people. In this story, the main character has developed a relationship with someone he has never met. In this story, the main character has developed a relationship with someone he has never met. Read A World of Writing Read A World of Writing Does anyone keep a diary? How do you feel to send a letter? How does it feel to receive a letter? Does anyone keep a diary? How do you feel to send a letter? How does it feel to receive a letter?

Background 414k Let’s discuss these key vocabulary words. Let’s discuss these key vocabulary words. difference difference diary diary experience experience description description prose prose

Phonics/Decoding Skills 415A What are our Phonics/Decoding skills? What are our Phonics/Decoding skills? They are chunking, words we know, beginning and endings, affixes, syllables, try different vowel sounds, base words or root words, blending, look carefully They are chunking, words we know, beginning and endings, affixes, syllables, try different vowel sounds, base words or root words, blending, look carefully

Phonics/Decoding Skills 415A Yesterday Miss Neely, the librarian, asked if I had written anything for the Young Writer’s Yearbook, because all writing had to be turned in by tomorrow. Yesterday Miss Neely, the librarian, asked if I had written anything for the Young Writer’s Yearbook, because all writing had to be turned in by tomorrow. Help me figure out this word. Help me figure out this word.

Vocabulary 415A Trans 4-23 PB 247 Trans 4-23 PB 247 Trans 4-23 PB 247 Trans 4-23 PB 247 diary: a daily record or journal diary: a daily record or journal disappointed: made unhappy by seeing one’s hopes come to nothing disappointed: made unhappy by seeing one’s hopes come to nothing experience: something that happens to someone; personal involvement in an event experience: something that happens to someone; personal involvement in an event prose: ordinary spoken or written language as opposed to verse or poetry prose: ordinary spoken or written language as opposed to verse or poetry

Vocabulary 415A rejected: turned down; did not accept rejected: turned down; did not accept snoop: someone who tries to find out about other people’s doings in a sneaky way snoop: someone who tries to find out about other people’s doings in a sneaky way splendid: excellent splendid: excellent submitted: offered one’s work to someone who might publish it submitted: offered one’s work to someone who might publish it understanding: knowledge of something; being aware of why something is the way it is

Vocabulary Link migrate: to move regularly from one region to another migrate: to move regularly from one region to another swarms: large groups moving together swarms: large groups moving together arduous: demanding great effort; difficult arduous: demanding great effort; difficult accomplishment: an action successfully carried out; achievement accomplishment: an action successfully carried out; achievement offspring: the young of a person, an animal, or a plant offspring: the young of a person, an animal, or a plant

Reading Strategy 415B Evaluate Strategy Focus Strategy Focus The author has chosen to show the main character only through his diary entries and a letter. As you read, evaluate how well this format works in telling Leigh’s story. The author has chosen to show the main character only through his diary entries and a letter. As you read, evaluate how well this format works in telling Leigh’s story. To evaluate a story: To evaluate a story: Use story information and your own opinions to decide how well the author has made a point or represented a situation. Use story information and your own opinions to decide how well the author has made a point or represented a situation.

Comprehension Skill 415C Making Inferences Trans 4-24 PB 248 Trans 4-24 PB 248 Trans 4-24 PB 248 Trans 4-24 PB 248 As you read focus on combining story clues and your own knowledge and life experiences to figure out things about characters that the author does not state. As you read focus on combining story clues and your own knowledge and life experiences to figure out things about characters that the author does not state. Readers must read “between the lines” in order to understand story events. Readers must read “between the lines” in order to understand story events.

Making Inferences Inferences are predictions made with your own knowledge and experiences plus the information given by the author.

Reality/Fantasy 419 Fantasy often includes characters that could not exist in the real world, characters that behave in ways they could not in real life, and events that could not happen in real life. Fantasy often includes characters that could not exist in the real world, characters that behave in ways they could not in real life, and events that could not happen in real life. Fantasy might have some realistic elements such as a realistic setting and some characters that are true to life. Fantasy might have some realistic elements such as a realistic setting and some characters that are true to life.

Decoding Longer Words 437E Suffixes –ful The grove was quiet and peaceful. The grove was quiet and peaceful. -ful is the suffix (-ful means full of) -ful is the suffix (-ful means full of) A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to add to or change its meaning. A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to add to or change its meaning. Removing a suffix and looking at the base word is a helpful way to figure out what a word means. PB 252 Removing a suffix and looking at the base word is a helpful way to figure out what a word means. PB 252 PB 252 PB 252

Decoding Longer Words 437E Suffixes –ly (cont) We finally got the burglar alarm to work with some help from a library book. We finally got the burglar alarm to work with some help from a library book. Help me figure out this word. Help me figure out this word. -ly means a state of, quality, instance of being, being like something

Decoding Longer Words 437E Suffixes –ly (cont) ment – a means, result, act, state ment – a means, result, act, state ment (argument) (argue) ment (argument) (argue) -ness (swiftness) -ness (swiftness) -ness – like or in a specific manner -ness – like or in a specific manner -less (worthless) -less (worthless) -less - without -less - without Adding a suffix may change the spelling of a word. PB 252 Adding a suffix may change the spelling of a word. PB 252 PB 252 PB 252

Suffixes Suffixes are word parts added to a base word that changes its meaning

Phonics 437F The /s/ /z/ Sounds Recognizing letters that stand for the /s/ and /z/ sounds can help you decode unfamiliar words. Recognizing letters that stand for the /s/ and /z/ sounds can help you decode unfamiliar words. Letters c, ce, and s can stand for the /s/ sound Letters c, ce, and s can stand for the /s/ sound The letters s and z can stand for the /z/ sound The letters s and z can stand for the /z/ sound Miss Neely announced that the Famous Author was Angela Badger. Miss Neely announced that the Famous Author was Angela Badger.

Phonics 437F The /s/ /z/ Sounds (cont) The girls were more excited because Angela Badger writes mostly about girls The girls were more excited because Angela Badger writes mostly about girls I couldn’t turn my lunchbox experience into a story. I couldn’t turn my lunchbox experience into a story. A license for a truck is expensive. A license for a truck is expensive. I chased garbanzo beans around my plate. I chased garbanzo beans around my plate.

Spelling 437G Words with Suffixes PB 253 Safely, paleness, enjoyment, cheerful, speechless Safely, paleness, enjoyment, cheerful, speechless Pick out the suffixes. Pick out the suffixes. Remember a word part that can be added to the end of a base word is a suffix. Remember a word part that can be added to the end of a base word is a suffix. -ly (in a certain way) -ly (in a certain way) -ness (the condition or quality of) -ness (the condition or quality of) -ment (the condition of an action) -ment (the condition of an action) -ful (full of) -ful (full of) -less (without) -less (without)

Spelling 437G Vocabulary-Word Clues PB 254 unable to speak unable to speak speechless speechless terrible terrible dreadful dreadful in recent times in recent times lately lately a feeling of pleasure a feeling of pleasure enjoyment enjoyment

Vocabulary Skills 437I Connotation PB 256 Barry’s sisters giggle and hide. Barry’s sisters giggle and hide. Barry’s sisters snicker and hide. Barry’s sisters snicker and hide. Which sentence shows them being mean? Which sentence shows them being mean? Connotations are when are associated with a word, in addition to its dictionary meanings. Connotations are when feelings are associated with a word, in addition to its dictionary meanings. There could be negative and positive connotations. There could be negative and positive connotations.

Vocabulary Skills 437I Connotation (cont) PB 256 WordConnotations WordConnotations shiningpositive; suggests brightness shiningpositive; suggests brightness glaringnegative; suggests that something is hard to look at glaringnegative; suggests that something is hard to look at bunchpositive; suggests small, friendly group bunchpositive; suggests small, friendly group mobnegative; suggests large, unfriendly group mobnegative; suggests large, unfriendly group

Grammar Skills 437K Abbreviations Trans 4-26 PB 257 Trans 4-26 PB 257 Trans 4-26 PB 257 Trans 4-26 PB 257 An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word Most abbreviations begin with a capital letter and end with a period. Most abbreviations begin with a capital letter and end with a period. Most abbreviations should be used only in special kinds of writing, such as addresses and lists. Most abbreviations should be used only in special kinds of writing, such as addresses and lists.

Abbreviations 437L Use abbreviations only when appropriate. Use abbreviations only when appropriate. A good writer uses abbreviations only in special kinds of writing. A good writer uses abbreviations only in special kinds of writing. ex. Last Wed. Richard took a bus to a st. at the edge of town. ex. Last Wed. Richard took a bus to a st. at the edge of town. ex. Correct: Last Wednesday Richard took a bus to a street at the edge of town. PB 259 ex. Correct: Last Wednesday Richard took a bus to a street at the edge of town. PB 259 PB 259 PB 259

Grammar Skills 437K Titles T T rrrr aaaa nnnn ssss n n n n oooo t t t t rrrr aaaa nnnn ssss P PP P BBBB When you write the title of a magazine, book, movie, or newspaper, capitalize the first, the last, and each important word. Capitalize forms of the verb be, including is, are, was, and am. Capitalize a word such as and, in, of, to, a, was, or the only when it is the first or last word in a title.

Grammar Skills 437K Titles (cont) When you use a word processor, put titles of magazines, books, movies, and newspapers in italic type. When you write with a pen or pencil, underline titles of books, movies, magazines, and newspapers. When you use a word processor, put titles of magazines, books, movies, and newspapers in italic type. When you write with a pen or pencil, underline titles of books, movies, magazines, and newspapers. Put titles of chapters, poems, songs, and short stories in quotation marks. Put titles of chapters, poems, songs, and short stories in quotation marks.

Expanding Sentences w/Adjectives 437N Trans 4-29 PB 261 Trans 4-29 PB 261 Trans 4-29 PB 261 Trans 4-29 PB 261 Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns and are important part of writing narration or descriptions. Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns and are important part of writing narration or descriptions. Adjectives help to create a clear, vivid picture of what you are describing. Adjectives help to create a clear, vivid picture of what you are describing.

Adjectives Adjectives are words that describe nouns or pronouns

Adjectives

Author’s Viewpoint 437Q The author’s viewpoint is the way the author thinks or feels about the subject. The author’s viewpoint is the way the author thinks or feels about the subject. Identifying the author’s viewpoint helps readers understand why the author is interested in the subject and how the author thinks. Identifying the author’s viewpoint helps readers understand why the author is interested in the subject and how the author thinks. You can infer an author’s viewpoint by identifying the author’s purpose for writing the selection and by looking at the facts, opinions, and descriptions given. You can infer an author’s viewpoint by identifying the author’s purpose for writing the selection and by looking at the facts, opinions, and descriptions given.

Spelling Test 1. dreadful 1. dreadful 2. enjoyment 2. enjoyment 3. safely 3. safely 4. watchful 4. watchful 5. speechless 5. speechless 6. paleness 6. paleness 7. breathless 7. breathless 8. government 8. government 9. cheerful 9. cheerful 10. actively 10. actively 11. closeness 11. closeness 12. lately 12. lately 13. goodness 13. goodness 14. retirement 14. retirement 15. forgetful 15. forgetful 16. basement 16. basement 17. softness 17. softness 18. delightful 18. delightful 19. settlement 19. settlement 20. countless 20. countless

Challenge Words suspenseful suspiciously defenseless seriousness contentment

Study Guide Evaluate Evaluate Making predictions Making predictions Suffixes –ly Suffixes –ly S and z sounds S and z sounds Suffixes Suffixes Word clues Word clues Connotations Connotations abbreviations abbreviations Titles Titles Adjectives Adjectives Author’s viewpoint Author’s viewpoint