Let’s Create

Phonics Practice
 A

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 BSF 12 11 10 09 08
 Unit 3

Let’s Create
 Contents
Shirl and her Tern
Shirl and her Tern............ 1
r-controlled vowel er, ir, ur
Realistic Fiction

by Barbara A. Donovan
illustrated by Barry Ablett

Planets
Planets ....................... 7
r-controlled vowel er, ir, ur
Informational Nonfiction: Science

by Wiley Blevins

Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek .............. 23
r-controlled vowel ear, eer, ere
Fantasy

by Liane B. Onish
illustrated by Deborah Melmon
 Fossils
Fossils ........................ 29
r-controlled vowel ear, ere
Informational Nonfiction: Science

by Eric Michaels

g Cage
Me n Space
i
Meg Cage in Space ....... 45
r-controlled vowel ar
Science Fiction

by Marco Ramos
illustrated by Dianne Greenseid

Bananas: From
Farm to Home
Bananas: From Farm
to Home ..................... 51
r-controlled vowel ar
Informational Nonfiction: Social Studies
by Liz Ray
More Fun Than
a Hat!
More Fun Than a Hat! .... 67
r-controlled vowel oar, or, ore
Biography

by Mark Melillo
illustrated by Alexandra Wallner

Famous
U.S. Landmarks
Famous
U.S. Landmarks ............ 73
r-controlled vowel or, ore
Informational Nonfiction: Social Studies
by Liz Ray

The Caring
King’s Fair Wish
The Caring King’s
Fair Wish .................... 89
r-controlled vowel air, are
Fairy Tale
by Jen Roberts
illustrated by Capucine Mazille
 One Land,
Many Cultures One Land,
Many Cultures ............. 95
r-controlled vowel are, ere
Informational Nonfiction: Social Studies
by Liz Ray
Shirl and her Tern

by Barbara A. Donovan
illustrated by Barry Ablett
 My grandfather likes to watch
birds. Each week we find a different
area of Burns Beach to spot them. I
like terns the best. When they swirl in
the sky, it’s like a bird show. I would
pay money to see a tern show!
2
 Waves churn on the beach where
the terns feed. In the spring, we try
to keep the gulls out of the tern
nests. In the fall, we feel sad when
they fly away.

By last week, we thought the last

tern had flown away. Then, from the
reeds, I heard a weak chirp.

3
 We turned toward the sound. We
parted the reeds and found a tern in
the dirt. It was hurt. It didn’t stir a bit.

Grandfather called Fern. She is a

scientist and an animal doctor. Fern
said to bring the bird to her office
building on First Street.
4
 We found a box, and we used a
piece of old shirt to make a bed. We
put the bird in the bed. Then we
turned, ran to the car, and drove to
see Fern. As we drove, I urged the
tern to get well.

5
 Fern checked my tern. She saw
a cut under its wing. She rubbed
medicine on the cut to kill germs.

Today I heard good news. My tern

is fine! In the spring, it will be with
the other terns when they return.
6
Planets

by Wiley Blevins
 Getting Started
Look at the sky. What do you
see? On a clear night, you’re likely
to see stars, planets, and the moon.
On a clear day, you see the sun.

The sun is the star that is closest to

Earth. The sun is a big ball of burning
gas that gives off light. Eight planets
circle around the sun.

8
 Sun

Earth
Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter Uranus

Saturn

Neptune

The Solar System

Look at this map of the solar

system. Count the planets and read
their names. Let’s find out about these
planets.
9
 What Is a Planet?
A planet is a large ball of rock or
gas. The path a planet takes around
the sun is called an orbit. The time it
takes for a planet to go around the
sun is the planet’s year.

Planets also rotate, or spin. The

time it takes a planet to spin one full
turn is its day. Earth turns once every
24 hours. On the side of the planet
that is facing the sun, it is day. On the
other side of the planet, it is night.

10
The Eight Planets

A crater

Mercury

Mercury (MUR-kyuh-ree) is the

first planet from the sun. Mercury is
very hot and dry. It is made of rock
and metal. Mercury is gray and has
big craters. Some are bigger than the
state of Texas!
11
 Venus

The second planet from the sun

is Venus (VEE-nuhs). It is almost the
same size as Earth. Venus has pretty
yellow clouds all around it. It is so hot
that you could melt metal on it.

12
 Earth

Earth is the third planet from the

sun. Earth is also the only planet with
plants and animals on it. Earth is
covered with several large bodies of
water. Earth has one moon.

13
 Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the

sun. Mars gets its nickname, “the Red
Planet,” from the reddish color of
its soil. Spacecraft called rovers have
explored the surface of Mars. No life
has been found there.
14
Great Red Spot

Jupiter

The fifth planet from the sun is

Jupiter (JOO-puh-tur). It is the biggest
planet. It is mostly made up of gases.
Jupiter is known for its swirling
Great Red Spot. Jupiter has at least
61 moons.
15
 Saturn

Saturn is the sixth planet from the

sun. Saturn is made of gas. It has rings
around it. The rings are made of bits
of ice, rock, and dust. Saturn has at
least 30 moons.

16
 Uranus

The seventh planet from the sun

is Uranus (YUR-uh-nuhs, or yu-RAY-
nuhs). Uranus is also made of gas. It
has 11 rings around it and at least
27 moons.

17
 Neptune

Neptune is the eighth planet

from the sun. Neptune is made of
gas. It looks blue. Neptune also has
rings around it. A spacecraft went to
Neptune in 1989.

18
 Pluto

Pluto was the smallest planet in

our solar system. Now it has been
renamed a dwarf planet, or minor
planet. Pluto was discovered in 1930.
It has one moon.

19
 How We Study Planets
Scientists who study the stars and
planets are called astronomers. They
use special telescopes. The telescopes
make objects in the sky seem closer
and bigger.

How can astronomers—or even

young kids like us—tell the difference
between a planet and a star in the
night sky? A star twinkles. A planet
does not.

20
 Each year we learn more and
more about the planets in our solar
system. You can learn more too. Visit
the library or look on the Internet.
Or, look at the sky on a clear night.
Maybe what you see will make you
decide to be an astronomer someday!
21
Index
astronomer(s), orbit, 10,
20, 21
Pluto, 9, 19
Earth, 8–10, 12, 13
Saturn, 9, 16
Jupiter, 9, 15
solar system, 9,
Mars, 9, 14 19, 21

Mercury, 9, 11 telescopes, 20

moon(s), 8, 13, Uranus, 9, 17

15–17, 19
Venus, 9, 12
Neptune, 9, 18

22
Hide and Seek

by Liane B. Onish
illustrated by Deborah Melmon
 Dot went inside the house.
“What happened, dear?” asked Mom.
“The big kids call me Spots!”
Dot said, two tears running down
her cheeks.
24
 Mom said, “Cheer up, Dot. All
young deer have spots. Spots can
be most useful. Wait and see!”
So Dot went back out to play.
The big deer started a game of
Hide and Seek. Fay was It.

25
 Doe hid behind a tree. But her
tail stuck out. Fay found her.
Ray hid behind a bush. But his
horns stuck up. Fay found him, too.
Dot lay down in the tall grass.
Fay could not find her.
26
 At last, Fay gave up. “Where is
Dot? Come out, Dot. You win!”
“Here I am!” said Dot standing
up right near them. “I win, thanks
to my spots!”

27
 Fay said, “Next year you will be
bigger. And you will not have any
spots. Then we will play again and
see who wins!”
28
Fossils

by Eric Michaels
 Getting Started
Millions of years ago, life here on
Earth was very different from the way
it is today. The plants and animals
then did not look like those you see
today.

The land was different, too. Long

ago, there might have been lakes
where there are mountains now.
The places that are cool and dry now
might have been green, warm tropical
forests long ago.

How do we know what Earth was

like millions of years ago? Fossils give
us many clues. Let’s dig deep and
learn about fossils!

30
31
 What Are Fossils?
There are many kinds of fossils.
Some people think of dinosaur bones
when they think of fossils. But fossils
are like a picture, or print, of things
that lived on Earth long ago. A fossil
can show all or part of a plant or an
animal. It can even show a footprint
that was made by a living thing from
long ago.

32
 Fossils have shown up in some
odd places! Many insect fossils have
been found in clear pieces of amber.
Amber is tree sap that has hardened.
The insects got stuck inside the sap.
Later, when the sap hardened, it
trapped the insect forever.
33
 Huge animals called mammoths
used to live on Earth. Long ago, some
mammoths were trapped in ice. These
bodies trapped in ice are a kind of
fossil, too.
34
How Do Fossils Form?
Most fossils are formed from the
sand or mud that sits at the bottom of
water. When animals and plants die
in or near the water, they are covered
with this muddy soil, called sediment.
After a very long time, the sediment
turns into rock, and a fossil is formed.

Very hard things like bones and

shells slowly decay, or rot, in sediment.
Sometimes they leave behind a space
that is filled in with other material.
This material hardens. This makes a
cast of the bone or shell that used to
be there.

35
 When some plants and animals
decay, something called carbon is left
behind. The black carbon shows the
shape of the once-living things. These
carbon outlines are also fossils.
36
 Other fossils are formed when
minerals from water soak into dead
plants or animals. These dead things
do not decay, because the minerals
make them hard like stone.
37
 Who Studies Fossils?
Did you know that some people
hunt for fossils as a part of their job?
Paleontologists (pay-lee-uhn-TAH-
luh-jists) are scientists who study the
remains of plants and animals that
lived long, long ago. These scientists
collect and study fossils and sort them
for museums.

What do paleontologists learn

when they study fossils? Fossils help
them learn how plants, animals, and
Earth have changed over time.

38
 Paleontologists can tell how old
rocks are by looking at fossils in the
rocks. Rocks with fossils of shells or
sea animals can tell scientists that the
land where the fossils were found may
have once been an ocean.
39
 Oil is often found in rocks that
have fossils in them. So the study of
rocks and fossils is also helpful to oil
companies. It can help them know
where to drill underground for oil.
40
How Are Fossils
Collected?
When paleontologists find a fossil,
they use special tools to remove it. A
small shovel might be used to remove
a fossil from soft ground. But if a fossil
is in rock, the job is more difficult.
It might have to be removed with a
hammer and chisel.

Inside a lab, paleontologists use

smaller tools to chip away any rock
that is still around the fossil. If a fossil
is in pieces, the scientists put it back
together like a puzzle.

41
 Fossils of animal bones can
sometimes be put together to form
a skeleton. A strong frame is used to
hold the bones together. A museum
might show the skeleton.

42
 You can search for fossils, too! The
next time you’re outside, try to find
one. Then try to tell if it’s from a plant
or an animal. Just think, you could be
holding something that is millions of
years old!
43
Index
amber, 33 paleontologists, 38,
39, 41
animal(s), 30, 32,
34–39, 42, 43 plant(s), 30, 32,
35–38, 43
bone(s), 32, 35, 42
print, 32
carbon, 36
rock(s), 35, 39–41
cast, 35
sap, 33
dinosaur, 32
sediment, 35
footprint, 32
shell(s), 35, 39
insect(s), 33
skeleton, 42
mammoths, 34
tools, 41
minerals, 37

oil, 40
44
 g Cage
e
M n Spa ce
i

by Marco Ramos
illustrated by Dianne Greenseid
 At Meg’s spaceship job, it was a
slow day. The cold wind was gusting.
Few people would be traveling far into
space that day.
Meg petted her cat, Parker. Then
the door flew open. A big dog raced in,
wagging its tail.

46
 After the dog came a little girl and a
man with a big scarf behind her.
“We’ve got to go to the Moon
today,” said the man. “Can you take us
that far into space?”
Meg didn’t think twice. “Yes, I can!”
she said.
47
 Meg and her passengers charged
out to the field and got inside Meg’s
new spaceship. She glanced at the flag
and saw that the wind was still gusting.
Meg was certain that there would
be no problems. She urged her
passengers to buckle up.
48
 Meg gave her spaceship some gas
and it gained speed. She said, “When
we reach six hundred miles per hour, I’ll
get us some treats.”
As Meg got the snacks, a large
comet zoomed by the window.

49
 “We named that comet Pig,” Meg
said as she zigzagged by it.
Soon, the Moon’s space manager
called. He pointed out a place to land.
The girl gave Meg a big hug and
said that it was a marvelous trip. A
smile lit up Meg’s face. It was another
job well done!
50
Bananas: From
Farm to Home

by Liz Ray
 Getting Started
Do you ever wonder where your
food comes from? Perhaps the
peppers you ate for dinner were
grown in Mexico. The cocoa you
drank may have come from Africa.

Some of the food you eat is

grown in regions of our own country.
Some of it comes from far away. To
learn more about how foods “travel,”
let’s take a look at the bananas in
your kitchen.

52
 Most bananas grow in other parts
of the world. Perhaps your bananas
came from South America. So how
did they end up in your kitchen? Let’s
find out!
53
 Growing and Harvesting
Bananas grow where the weather is
warm and rainy. It takes the right kind
of weather and a lot of hard work to
grow good bananas.

To grow bananas, workers must

first clear the land. Then they can
plant the banana seeds. If there is
not enough rain, the workers have to
water the banana plants.

Bananas become heavy as they

grow. A banana plant must be propped
up so the fruit doesn’t pull it down.
Workers cover each banana bunch with
a plastic bag. The bags protect the
bananas from bugs, birds, and wind.

54
 Bananas are harvested, or picked,
when they are green and hard. One
worker cuts the bananas from the
plant. Another worker attaches the
bananas to a cable or puts them in a
cart. Then the bananas are taken to
a packing shed.
55
 In the packing shed, the bananas
are washed and sorted. Then workers
pack the fruit in cardboard boxes.
Now the bananas are ready to
transport.
56
Transporting and
Exporting
Many of the bananas grown
in South America are exported.
That means they are sent to other
countries.

Transporting bananas for export

is tricky. Bananas must be kept cool
so they do not ripen too quickly.
Bananas must be handled gently to
prevent bruises.

57
 Special trucks take the
bananas from the farm. The trucks
are refrigerated. They keep the
bananas cool on the way to the
port for shipping.
58
 At the port, workers carefully
unload the boxes of bananas from the
trucks. Then they load the boxes onto
ships. The ships are also refrigerated.

59
 Time to Ripen
The ships bring the fruit to
ports in this country. There workers
unload the boxes of bananas. Then
the bananas are taken to banana
ripening rooms.

These special rooms are the

perfect place to ripen the green
bananas. The ripening rooms are not
too cold or too hot. They are not too
dry or too damp. A special gas is used
to help ripen the fruit in just the
right way.

60
 Now the bananas are ready for
market. They are again loaded onto
trucks. Truck drivers take the fruit to
stores and supermarkets.

61
 At the store, the fruit is unloaded
from the truck. Clerks put the bananas
on shelves. The bananas are now ready
for consumers. Who is a consumer?
You are!
62
From Farm to Home
Consumers are people who use
food or anything else that is grown or
made by others. We consume many
things such as food, clothes, and cars.

Many of the things we use are

made in this country. Many others
are made in other parts of the world.
It takes a lot of people working
together to bring us the things
we use.

63
 The next time you buy bananas
at the store, stop and think. From
farmers to truck drivers to store
clerks—many people worked hard
to bring those bananas to you!
64
How Bananas Get From the Farm to You
Bananas are:

1. planted and grown

2. harvested

3. washed, sorted, and packed

4. transported to ships

5. shipped to new ports

6. ripened

7. transported to stores

8. sold to consumers
65
Index
banana plants, 54

consumer(s), 62, 63, 65

export(ed, ing), 57

harvest(ed, ing), 54, 55, 65

ripening rooms, 60

store(s), 61, 62, 64, 65

transport(ed, ing), 56, 57, 65

workers, 54–56, 59, 60

66
More Fun Than
a Hat!

by Mark Melillo
illustrated by Alexandra Wallner
 When it’s cold outside, how can you
keep your ears warm? Pulling a wool
hat over them can fix the problem.
Before wool hats were made, people
wrapped wool scarves around their
ears. For some, the wool was too itchy.
68
 That was the problem for Chester
Greenwood. His family lived in a
region where the winter winds roared.
Chester wore a wool scarf, but it was
too itchy. His bulky scarf made
ice-skating a real chore.
One day Chester’s ears got so sore
and cold that he could not skate.
So he came up with a grand plan.
69
 Chester thought of a new way to
keep his ears warm. All it took was
a bit of beaver fur, black velvet, and
thin metal strips.
Chester took these things to his
grandma. He asked her to stitch them
together to make something that
would keep his ears warm in the cold.
70
 Chester’s ear-warming system
worked. The other kids wished they
had a pair. Still, Chester thought his
earmuffs could be better. He did not
like how they flapped around.
A short time later, Chester made
some changes to his earmuffs. The
new ones weren’t heavy and could
be folded. It was easy to carry them
around. Chester’s earmuffs were a hit!
71
 Chester was just 15 when he came
up with his idea! He went on to make
more things that could help people.
It was many years ago that Chester
invented earmuffs. But the town where
he grew up still has a parade every year
for his birthday.

72
 Famous
U.S. Landmarks

by Liz Ray
 Getting Started
The United States has many
landmarks. A landmark is a place
that has special meaning for our
country. Landmarks remind us of
our country’s history.

Some of our landmarks help us

remember people and events. Other
landmarks are symbols of our country.
Landmarks include monuments,
memorials, statues, and more.

In this book, you will read about

seven famous U.S. landmarks. The
map on the next page shows where
they are.

74
 2

4
5
6
1 7

Famous U.S. Landmarks

1. Golden Gate Bridge 5. Lincoln Memorial
2. Mount Rushmore 6. Vietnam Veterans
Memorial
3. St. Louis Arch
7. Washington
4. Statue of Liberty
Monument

75
 In Washington, D.C.
There are many important
landmarks in Washington, D.C.
Here are a few of them:

• The Washington Monument

was built in honor of George
Washington, our first president.

• The Lincoln Memorial helps us

remember Abraham Lincoln. As
president, he worked hard to
stop slavery.

• The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

honors Americans who once served
in the Vietnam War.

76
 The Washington Monument is
more than 555 feet high. There is an
elevator that goes almost to the top.

77
 A statue of Abraham Lincoln
is inside the Lincoln Memorial.
Paintings of his life are on the north
and south walls. Two of his speeches
are on those walls, too.

78
 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial
was designed by Maya Ying Lin. It is
a wall made of polished stone. People
can see their faces in it. The names of
the people who died in the war are
carved into the wall’s panels.
79
 Famous Faces
Did you know that some landmarks
have faces? Two such landmarks
are the Statue of Liberty and Mount
Rushmore.

The Statue of Liberty is a symbol

of freedom. This statue of a woman
holding a torch has welcomed many
people to the United States.

The country of France gave the

Statue of Liberty to the United States
in 1884. The statue was a gift of
friendship.

80
 The Statue of Liberty stands near the
shore of New York City. Stairs on the
inside of the statue go up as far as the
crown. Below the statue is a star-shaped
fort. At night the Statue of Liberty’s
torch glows with light from lamps.
81
 Mount Rushmore is in South
Dakota. The heads of four U.S.
presidents are carved into the side of
a cliff. Mount Rushmore took 14 years
to complete.
82
 Each president’s face on Mount
Rushmore is 60 feet high. That’s as
high as 10 tall men standing on each
other’s shoulders. That means the
faces are huge!
83
 “Gates” of the West
Two other famous American
landmarks are the St. Louis Arch and
the Golden Gate Bridge.

The St. Louis Arch stands tall above

the Mississippi River in St. Louis,
Missouri. The Arch is made of steel
and concrete. It is also known as the
Gateway Arch. It is thought of as the
“gateway,” or entrance, to the West.
It was built to help us remember the
many pioneers who traveled west in
the 1800s.

84
 Visitors can ride a tramcar to the
top of the Arch. The tramcar travels
on the inside of the Arch. On very
windy days, the curved part of the
Arch can sway up to one inch—but
don’t worry, it’s safe!
85
86
 The Golden Gate Bridge is in
San Francisco, California. From the
Pacific Ocean, this bridge is the “gate,”
or entrance, to San Francisco Bay.

People can drive or walk across the

bridge. If you look off one side of the
bridge, you can see the ocean. If you
look off the other side, you can see
the bay.

You have now learned about seven

U.S. landmarks. Which of these would
you most like to visit?

87
Index
Golden Gate Bridge, 75, 84, 87

landmark(s), 74 –76, 80, 84, 87

Lincoln Memorial, 75, 76, 78

Mount Rushmore, 75, 80, 82, 83

Statue of Liberty, 75, 80, 81

St. Louis Arch, 75, 84, 85

Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 75, 76, 79

Washington Monument, 75–77

88
The Caring
King’s Fair Wish

by Jen Roberts
illustrated by Capucine Mazille
 Once upon a time, a king lived in a
grand palace. In the palace yard, the
king had a garden. The large garden
was filled with rare roses. The king
shared his fine life with his child, Martha.
The king was a good man. He cared
about all the people in his land. He had
all he could wish for. But still he wished
he had more.

90
 One day the king was in his garden.
He was startled by a man who was
sitting in the garden.
“Why are you in my garden?” asked
the king. “Talk to me.”
“I was getting some fresh air as I
walked among the roses,” said the man.
“But then I felt ill and had to rest. I am
far from home.”
91
 The king decided to take care of the
man. When the man felt well, he went
home. The next week the man came
back.
“I have the power to grant wishes,”
he said. “To repay your kindness, I will
grant you a wish.”
“I want all that I touch to turn to
gold!” said the king.
“That’s a fair wish,” said the man.
92
 The king began to touch things.
Soon he had gold chairs, gold stairs,
gold rugs, and gold jars! He had all the
gold he could carry.
When he picked a rose, it turned to
gold, and its sweet smell was gone.
At lunch all the king’s food and drink
turned to gold in his mouth. Scared,
the king started to weep.

93
 Martha ran to him. As he patted her
hair, she turned to gold!
“Now I know that happiness can’t
be bought with gold,” wailed the king.
The man knew the king was sad. He
agreed to undo the king’s wish.
“Thank you!” said the king. “I will
never be so greedy again.”

94
 One Land,
Many Cultures

by Liz Ray
 Getting Started
As Americans, we share the
same homeland: the United States of
America. We are all the same in many
ways. But many of us have come from
different backgrounds, or cultures.
For example, immigrants who come
here from other countries bring their
special customs with them. And Native
American groups have their own
special traditions, too.

Over time, families pass their

traditions on to their children and
grandchildren. The traditions they
share become part of their heritage.

96
 Many people like sharing their
traditions with others. We can all
enjoy traditions from different cultures.

97
 Art
Native Americans have produced
art that many people enjoy. Art
is more than just paintings and
drawings. Art can be made from
many materials. Art includes sculpture,
weaving, pottery, and much more.

Navajo weavers make colorful

rugs, blankets, and wall hangings.
Their designs have been passed down
for hundreds of years. Their weaving
tradition is part of their heritage.

98
 A sculptor, weaver, or potter can
make useful objects as well as lovely
works of art.

99
 Many of the women who have
come from Laos pass on one of their
special traditions: how to embroider
clothing. They use colorful thread,
and they count stitches carefully.
100
Music
All over the world, people sing,
chant, and make music. Immigrants
and visitors bring their music to the
United States. This new music now
becomes part of the American culture.

Many familiar songs today began

in other countries. One such song is
“Yankee Doodle.” British soldiers may
have brought this song here from
England in the 1700s.

Sometimes brand new music comes

from old songs. For example, jazz
came from early African-American
music, such as work songs and other
songs called spirituals.

101
 Many jazz musicians and singers
still try to create new music. The
musicians make up music together as
they play their instruments.

102
 Traditional music is often played at
weddings and other celebrations. This
is one way that people enjoy and pass
on their musical heritage.

103
 Dance
Along with music, dance is part
of people’s lives all over the world.
Traditional dances are different from
place to place. But most dances have
something in common: the joy of
movement!

In some dances, the movements are

fast and lively. For example, a lively
dance that came from Poland is called
the polka. In other types of dances, the
movements may be made slowly.

A dancer can be like an actor and

use movement to tell a story. Dances
can also help celebrate special times
in people’s lives.

104
 The hula is an important dance
in Hawaii. The dancers move to
the music of traditional songs, or
chants. Each movement has a special
meaning. The hula helps Hawaiians
feel proud of their heritage.
105
 The lion dance is part of some
Chinese celebrations in the United
States and China. Dancers are inside
the lion’s head and body. They dance
to drums and are often followed
by crowds.

106
Literature
The best of the world’s stories,
poems, folktales, and other kinds of
writing are all part of literature. Many
of today’s most popular stories began
long ago. People would tell each
other stories, and then the stories
would be told over and over again to
other people. Over time, writers would
write down these stories.

Some stories may be similar in

different countries. For example, the
Cinderella story came from China.
There are hundreds of retellings of
this story all over the world.

107
 People from many cultures have
told stories about characters who play
tricks. These stories are called trickster
tales. Anansi the spider is a trickster in
African stories. Coyote is a trickster
in Native American tales.
108
 One way we can enjoy each other’s
heritage is through literature. Now,
think about your own heritage. What
special traditions make you feel happy
or proud? Which ones would you like
to share with others?
109
Index
art, 98, 99 music, 101, 105

Cinderella story, Navajo weavers, 98

107
polka, 104
clothing, 100
spirituals, 101
dance, 104 – 106
story(ies), 104, 107,
heritage, 96, 98, 108
103, 105, 109
tradition(s), 96–98,
hula, 105 100, 109

jazz, 101, 102 trickster tales, 108

lion dance, 106 “Yankee Doodle,”

101
literature, 107, 109

110
Unit 3: Let’s Create
Week 1: Shirl and her Tern page 1
to use with The Alvin Ailey Kids: Dancing As a Team WORD COUNT: 230
DECODABLE WORDS
Target Phonics Elements
r-controlled vowel er
Fern, germs, her, tern, terns, under
r-controlled vowel ir
bird, birds, chirp, dirt, first, Shirl, shirt, stir, swirl
r-controlled vowel ur
burns, churn, hurt, return, turned, urged
HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS
body, pretty, young
Review: away, building, different, from, of, other, put, said, scientist, they, thought, to,
today, was, where, would
STORY WORDS
grandfather, medicine

Week 1: Planets page 7

to use with The Alvin Ailey Kids: Dancing As a Team WORD COUNT: 576
DECODABLE WORDS
Target Phonics Elements
r-controlled vowel er
bigger, closer, craters, Jupiter, Mercury, rovers, smaller
r-controlled vowel ir
circle, first, swirling, third
r-controlled vowel ur
burning, Mercury, Saturn, surface, turn, turns
HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS
pretty, young
Review: about, almost, also, around, been, could, eight, every, from, great, have, of, one,
scientists, study, their, they, to, was, what, who
CONTENT WORDS
astronomers, explored, solar, system, orbit, telescope

111
 Week 2: Hide and Seek page 23
to use with Abuelo and the Three Bears WORD COUNT: 208
DECODABLE WORDS
Target Phonics Elements
r-controlled vowel ear
dear, near, tears, year
r-controlled vowel eer
cheer, deer
r-controlled vowel ere
here
HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS
inside, behind, happened
Review: come, could, of, said, to, was, where, you

Week 2: Fossils page 29

to use with Abuelo and the Three Bears WORD COUNT: 674
DECODABLE WORDS
Target Phonics Elements
r-controlled vowel ear
clear, near
r-controlled vowel ere
here
HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS
inside, behind
Review: about, also, are, been, different, from, have, into, many, of, once, other, picture,
put, scientists, some, today, together, was, where, what, who
CONTENT WORDS
carbon, fossils, mammoths, paleontologists, sediment, skeleton

112
 Week 3: Meg Cage in Space page 45
to use with Music of the Stone Age WORD COUNT: 218
DECODABLE WORDS
Target Phonics Element
r-controlled vowel ar
charged, far, large, marvelous, Parker, scarf
HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS
Review: another, certain, behind, done, inside, into, people, said, some, was, would

Week 3: Bananas: From Farm to Home page 51

to use with Music of the Stone Age WORD COUNT: 579
DECODABLE WORDS
Target Phonics Element
r-controlled vowel ar
cardboard, cart, far, farm, hard, harvest, harvested, harvesting, market, parts,
supermarket, warm
HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS
heavy, region
Review: about, again, also, are, away, do, enough, from, have, of, other, some, special, they,
to, were, where, world, you, your
CONTENT WORDS
consumers, refrigerated

113
 Week 4: More Fun Than a Hat! page 67
to use with Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type WORD COUNT: 258
DECODABLE WORDS
Target Phonics Elements
r-controlled vowel oar
roared
r-controlled vowel or
for, short,
r-controlled vowel ore
before, chore, more, sore, wore
HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS
Review: around, could, heavy, other, people, region, some, their, they, thought, to,
together, was, were, where, would, year, you, your

Week 4: Famous U.S. Landmarks page 73

to use with Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type WORD COUNT: 579
DECODABLE WORDS
Target Phonics Elements
r-controlled vowel or
for, fort, history, honor, honors, important, memorials, New York, north, or, torch
r-controlled vowel ore
more, Rushmore, shore
HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS
once
Review: about, also, are, four, from, inside, many, of, one, other, people, some, they,
thought, to, two, was, where, would, years, you
CONTENT WORDS
landmark, monument, president, statue

114
Week 5: The Caring King’s Fair Wish page 89
to use with Stirring Up Memories WORD COUNT: 303
DECODABLE WORDS
Target Phonics Elements
r-controlled vowel air
air, chairs, fair, hair, stairs
r-controlled vowel are
care, cared, rare, scared, shared
HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS
Review: about, again, carry, from, gone, of, once, said, some, talk, to, want, was, who

Week 5: One Land, Many Cultures page 95

to use with Stirring Up Memories WORD COUNT: 594
DECODABLE WORDS
Target Phonics Elements
r-controlled vowel are
share, carefully
r-controlled vowel ere
there
HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS
material
Review: again, along, been, began, brought, come, countries, different, from, have, inside,
of, many, one, other, people, special, their, they, to, today, world, would, years, you
CONTENT WORDS
celebration, cultures, heritage, immigrants, literature, musicians, tradition

115
 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS TAUGHT TO DATE
Grade K Grade 1 down many so Grade 2 talk
a about early minutes some against though
and across eat more soon America word
are after eight mother sound among world
can again enough move straight another year
do against every never sure because young
for air eyes new their began
go all fall no then behind
has along father not there believe
have also find nothing they blue
he always four now thought body
here another friends of three building
I any from old through built
is around full once today carry
like away funny one together country
little ball girl only too different
look be give open two English
me because goes or under even
my been gone orange until happened
play before good other up heavy
said begin great our upon inside
see below grew out use island
she better head over very machine
the blue help people walked material
this boy her place want morning
to brought house poor warm move
was build how pretty water number
we buy instead pull way off
what by into put were once
where call it ride who other
with carry jump run why picture
you certain knew saw work pretty
change know says would region
climbed laugh school write scientist
come learn searching yellow second
could live should your special
does love shout study
done make show system

116
DECODING SKILLS TAUGHT TO DATE
CVC letter patterns; short a; consonants b, c, ck, f, g, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v; inflectional ending -s
(plurals, verbs); short i; consonants d, j, qu, w, x, y, z; double final consonants; l blends; possessives
with ’s; end blends; short o; inflectional ending -ed; short e; contractions with n’t; s blends;
r blends; inflectional ending -ing; short u; contractions with ’s; digraphs sh, th; compound words;
long a (a_e), inflectional ending -ed (drop final e); long i (i_e); soft c, g, -dge; digraphs ch, -tch, wh-;
inflectional ending -es (no change to base word); long e (e_e), long o (o_e), long u (u_e); silent
letters gn, kn, wr; 3-letter blends scr-, spl-, spr-, str-; inflectional endings -ed, -ing (double final
consonant); long a (ai, ay); inflectional endings -er, -est; long e (e, ea, ee); e at the end of long e
words; long o (o, oa, oe, ow); 2-syllable words; long i (i, ie, igh, y); 2-syllable inflectional endings
(changing y to ie); long e (ey, y); inflectional ending -ed (verbs; change y to i); r-controlled vowel
/ûr/er, ir, ur; inflectional endings -er, -est (drop final e); r-controlled vowel /är/ar; abbreviations
Mr., Mrs., Dr.; r-controlled vowel /ôr/or, oar, ore; compound words; diphthong /ou/ou, ow; final
e (mouse, house); diphthong /oi/oi, oy; prefixes re-, un-; variant vowels /u̇ /oo, /ü/oo, ew, ue, u_e;
possessives; variant vowel /ô/a, au, aw; singular and plural possessive pronouns; 2-syllable
words; r-controlled vowel /âr/air, are, ear; contractions; short a, e, i, o, u; consonant blends dr, sl,
sk, sp, st; consonant digraphs ch,-tch, sh, th, wh, ph; long a (a_e), i (i_e), o (o_e), u (u_e); soft c and g;
long a (a, ai, ay, ea, ei); consonant blends scr, spr, str; long e (e, ea, ee, ey, ie, y); prefixes re-, un-, dis-;
long i (i, ie, igh, y); compound words; long o (o, oa, oe, ow); inflectional endings -s, -es; long u (ew,
u, ue, u_e); inflectional ending -ing, r-controlled vowels er, ir, ur, ear, eer, ere, ar, or, oar, ore, air, are;
inflectional endings -er, est; silent letters gn, kn, wr, mb

117
Photography
Cover, 1: Taxi/Getty Images. 9: NASA. 11: StockTrek/Getty Images. 12: William Attard McCarthy/
Shutterstock. 13–16: StockTrek/Getty Images. 17: NASA. 18: StockTrek/Getty Images. 19: NASA.
21: Getty Images/PunchStock. 29: Mark Schneider/Visuals Unlimited. 31: John Kirinic/
Shutterstock. 33: Kerry Givens/Bruce Coleman Inc. 34: Jonathan Blair/CORBIS. 36: John
S. Flannery/Bruce Coleman Inc. 37: Michael Freeman/Bruce Coleman Inc. 39: S. Meltzer/
PhotoLink/Getty Images. 40: Royalty-Free/CORBIS. 42: Phil Degginger/Bruce Coleman Inc.
43: Layne Kennedy/CORBIS. 51: Martin Rogers/CORBIS. 53: Brand X Pictures/PunchStock.
55: Cindy Karp/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images. 56: Inga Spence/Index Stock Imagery. 58: Pablo
Corral V/CORBIS. 59: Stephen Kline/Bruce Coleman Inc. 61: HIRB/Index Stock Imagery. 62: Amy
Sancetta/AP Photo. 64: Michael Newman/PhotoEdit. 73: PhotoLink/Getty Images. 77: Royalty-
Free/CORBIS. 78: PunchStock/Comstock. 79–81: PunchStock/Eyewire (Photodisc). 82: Glen Allison/
Getty Images. 83: Dave Coffin/South Dakota Tourism. 85: Carlos Santa Maria/Fotolia. 86: Jeremy
Woodhouse/Getty Images. 95: Skjold Photographs. 97: John Elk/Bruce Coleman Inc. 99: Marilyn
“Angel” Wynn. 100: Lindsay Hebberd/CORBIS. 102: Robert Holmes/CORBIS. 103: W. Bertsch/Bruce
Coleman Inc. 105: Barry Winiker/Index Stock Imagery. 106: Cora Reed/Shutterstock. 108: Marilyn
“Angel” Wynn. 109: Royalty-Free/CORBIS.
Grade 2 • Unit 3

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