Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Slippery Salamander S A L A M A N D E R Activity 1. Puzzle Me 2.

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1 Summary and the Case of the Slippery Salamander A salamander has been stolen from the Den of Darkness in the town aquarium., the police chief s son, solves the mystery that has his dad stumped. Activity Puzzle Me Look in newspapers or books for brainteasers and word games. Work with a family member to see how many of the answers you can find S A L A M A N D E 1. Something not known 2. Amphibian R Comprehension Skill Plot and Theme The plot is the story line or series of events that show characters in action. The theme is the big idea of the story. The plot of the story starts when a character has a problem. During the rising action the problem builds. At the climax, problems are met directly. Then during the resolution, the problem is usually solved and the story ends. The theme may be found in how a character solves the problem. Activity Fairy Tales in Action With your family, think of a familiar fairy tale you can act out together. Write each stage of the plot on a separate note card. Have one family member hand you a new card as you act out each plot point. When you have finished, choose one person to explain the theme. Family Times 245

2 Lesson Vocabulary Words to Know Knowing the meanings of these words is important to reading Encyclopedia Brown. Practice using these words. Vocabulary Words amphibians cold-blooded animals with backbones and moist skin crime a violation of law exhibit thing or things shown publicly lizards any of many reptiles with long bodies and tails and movable eyelids reference something used for information or help reptiles cold-blooded animals with backbones and lungs salamanders any of numerous animals shaped like lizards, but related to frogs stumped puzzled Grammar Contractions and Negatives A contraction is a word made by putting two words together. In a contraction, one or more letters are left out. An apostrophe is used in place of the missing letter or letters. Some contractions are formed by joining a pronoun and a verb. For example: it + is = it s, we + are = we re, I + am = I m, they + will = they ll. Other contractions are formed by joining a verb and not. For example: was + not = wasn t, did + not = didn t, have + not = haven t, are + not = aren t. Be careful not to confuse the contraction it s with the possessive pronoun its. Activity Cut It Short Play a game with family members to see who can spot contractions around you, then tell what words they combine. Look for these shortcuts on signs, such as Don t Walk, and in newspapers and magazines. Practice Tested Spelling Words 246 Family Times

3 Plot and Theme A plot, or underlying story structure, is found only in fiction. A plot begins when a character has a problem or conflict. The problem builds up during the rising action, is met directly at the climax, and comes to an end, with the action winding down, during the resolution. The theme is the big idea of the story. Sometimes the theme is a message, as in a fable or fairy tale. Directions Read the following passage. Then complete the diagram below. Cory was trying out for a dance group that performed at city festivals. After waiting for four hours, it was finally her chance to dance. Her mother patted her on the back and whispered, Forget about everything except the music. Just dance. You ve worked hard now go have fun. Cory had practiced so much, she was able to forget about individual steps. As she moved to the music, she focused on the rhythm, and her feet knew what to do. When she d finished, she knew she had danced her best. Cory had to wait again to find out if she had made the dance group. Finally, a dance coach found her. Welcome to Junior Jazz, the coach said. Hooray! shouted Cory. She gave her mother a gigantic hug. All that practicing was worth it, Cory said to her mom. Now I m going to have fun for a year! Problem 1. Rising Action 2. Cory waited her turn and got advice from her mother. Rising Action 3. Climax 4. Resolution What is the theme of the passage? Home Activity Your child read a short passage and identified its plot structure and theme. Read a story with your child, and work with him or her to identify the problem, rising action, climax, and resolution of the plot. Does the resolution give you a clue about the theme? R3.2 Identify the main events of the plot, their causes, and the influence of each event on future actions. Comprehension 247

4 Vocabulary Directions Choose the word from the box that best matches each definition. Write the word on the line. 1. cold-blooded animals with backbones and moist skins 2. confused because something is hard to understand or solve 3. a source used for information 4. reptiles with long bodies and tails and movable eyelids 5. animals shaped like lizards but related to frogs and toads Check the Words You Know amphibians crime exhibit lizards reference reptiles salamanders stumped Directions Choose the word from the box that best completes each sentence. Write the word on the line. David raced over to the new 6. at the zoo. Nothing was there! He was baffled and 7.. Had there been a 8. in which the animals were stolen? Had they escaped? He checked the sign as a 9. about the animals that should be in the new exhibit. Suddenly he noticed where all of the rattlesnakes and other 10. were hiding! The large sign had hidden them from view. Write a Description On a separate sheet of paper, write a description of an imaginary animal. Use as many vocabulary words as you can. Home Activity Your child identified and used vocabulary words from and the Case of the Slippery Salamander. Read an encyclopedia article with your child. Have your child point out unfamiliar words. Work together to try to define each word by using the synonyms or antonyms around it. 248 Vocabulary R1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development

5 Vocabulary Synonyms and Antonyms Synonyms are words with the same or almost the same meaning. Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. When you read, you may come across a word you don t know. Look for synonyms or antonyms as clues to the unknown word s meaning. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to look up any words you are unsure of. Directions Read the following passage. Then answer the questions below. Tamika s science fair exhibit, or display, featuring rattlesnakes was amazing. She presented a rattlesnake s skin and explained that unlike amphibians, reptiles have scales. Tamika also included pictures of the rattlesnake s diet, which included rabbits, rats, and squirrels. Her best friend, Ty, was stumped and confused. He asked, How can a snake eat animals that are larger than itself? Tamika had been baffled by this herself, but now she was enlightened. She showed Ty her encyclopedia. Together, they looked at pictures of the snake s jaws expanding. 1. What does exhibit mean? What synonym helps you determine its meaning? 2. Explain why reptile and amphibian are not antonyms. 3. What does baffled mean? What synonym helps you determine its meaning? 4. What does enlightened mean? What antonym helps you determine its meaning? 5. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to find three synonyms for the word expanded as it is used in this story. Then write a sentence using the word and one synonym. Home Activity Your child identified synonyms and antonyms using a dictionary or thesaurus. With your child, read an article about an animal and ask your child to identify unfamiliar words. Encourage your child to figure out the meanings using context clues such as synonyms and antonyms, and use a thesaurus to look up synonyms for words whose meanings are still unclear. R1.2 Apply knowledge of word origins, derivations, synonyms, antonyms, and idioms to determine the meaning of words and phrases. Vocabulary 249

6 Compare and Contrast Directions Read this story. Then answer the questions below. Kara and her family were stumped by the mystery of the dripping water. Sometimes, water dripped from the ceiling in Kara s room. But in her brother Bill s room next door, the ceiling never dripped. Let s study both rooms, said Kara s dad. Soon the family noticed similarities and differences. Neither ceiling had any cracks, and both rooms were warm. In Bill s room the ceiling was warm too. In Kara s room, however, the ceiling was very cold because there was no attic above it. After a little thought, Kara said, I think my class is studying this in science. It s called condensation. Water in the air turns into liquid when it touches something cold like the drops of water on the outside of a cold glass. My room has a cold ceiling, so the warm air turns into water there and drips. Her dad looked pleased and announced, Mystery solved! 1. Why does Kara s family compare and contrast the two rooms? 2. What is one way the two rooms are similar? 3. What is another way the two rooms are similar? 4. What is one way Kara s room is different from Bill s room? 5. On a separate sheet of paper, explain how comparing and contrasting the two rooms helped Kara solve the mystery. Home Activity Your child has read a short passage and used comparison and contrast to analyze it. Read your child short articles about two different parts of the world. Challenge him or her to identify similarities and differences between the two places. 250 Comprehension G5R3.3 Contrast the actions, motives (e.g., loyalty, selfishness, conscientiousness), and appearances of characters in a work of fiction and discuss the importance of the contrasts to the plot or theme.

7 Plot and Theme A plot, or underlying story structure, is found only in fiction. A plot begins when a character has a problem or conflict. The problem builds up during the rising action, is met directly at the climax, and comes to an end, with the action winding down, during the resolution. The theme is the big idea of the story. Sometimes the theme is a message, as in a fable or fairy tale. Directions Read the following passage. Then answer the questions below. The Bahamas is home to exotic wildlife. Many species of lizards and other reptiles live there. One summer, three men arrived at the islands. They said they were studying animals at a college in Europe. Local residents became suspicious when they noticed that one of the men looked like someone who had stolen animals from the island many years earlier. They wondered if it was the same person. The residents had a meeting to discuss this problem. They wanted to trust the visitors, but they also wanted to protect their wildlife. After some debate, they agreed to contact the police. The three men were stopped at the airport, and their luggage was inspected. Five hundred live lizards were hidden in their luggage! The men had planned to take the lizards to Germany and sell them. Instead, the men were arrested, and the lizards were returned home alive. The residents were glad they had worked together to solve a crime. 1. In this story, what is the problem? 2. What is one event in the rising action? 3. What event is the climax of the plot? 4. What is the resolution? 5. What is the theme of the passage? Home Activity Your child read a short passage and identified its plot structure and theme. Read a story with your child. Work together to identify the problem, rising action, climax, and resolution of the plot. Ask your child to determine the theme of the story. R3.2 Identify the main events of the plot, their causes, and the influence of each event on future actions. Comprehension 251

8 Plot and Theme A plot, or underlying story structure, is found only in fiction. A plot begins when a character has a problem or conflict. The problem builds up during the rising action, is met directly at the climax, and comes to an end, with the action winding down, during the resolution. The theme is the big idea of the story. Sometimes the theme is a message, as in a fable or fairy tale. Directions Read the following passage. Complete the sentences in the chart to show what happened in the story. Then answer the final question below. Brett and Jon were racing imaginary cars. Their cars were really water bottles, and the track was the slide in Jon s backyard. Brett won every race. What was his secret? Jon suspected Brett was cheating, and he was becoming angry. When Ted came over, Jon asked Ted if he could figure out how Brett was cheating. I know! Ted said. Brett s bottle is empty. Yours still has some water in it. The heavier bottle creates more friction, which slows it down. Brett s bottle weighs less and creates less friction. That s why he wins. He s not cheating. Brett was surprised. You thought I was cheating? he asked Jon. I wasn t cheating. I was just thirsty! The boys laughed, and Jon apologized for being suspicious of his friend. Problem 1. Jon couldn t understand why Rising Action Jon became angry when he suspected Brett of cheating. Rising Action 2. Jon asked Ted to Climax 3. Ted Resolution 4. Brett said and then Jon apologized. 5. What is the theme of the story? Home Activity Your child read a short passage and identified its plot structure. With your child, read a story about someone who solves a problem. Ask your child to identify the problem, rising action, climax, and resolution in the story. Together, determine the theme. 252 Comprehension R3.2 Identify the main events of the plot, their causes, and the influence of each event on future actions.

9 Card Catalog/Library Database Card catalogs and library databases provide information you need to find a book in the library. The card catalog has drawers with cards in them. The cards provide information about a book including its author, title, subject, and call number. You can search a card catalog by author, title, or subject. A library database is the online version of a card catalog. Directions Use this card from a card catalog to answer the questions below. J597.9 PA Reptiles and Amphibians Kel, Serge, 1960 Through its descriptions and breathtaking photographs, this book provides readers a safe, up-close look at the fascinating world of crocodiles, caimans, salamanders, caecilians, and others. Publisher: Reptile Universe Press Pub date: c2003. Pages: 96 ISBN: The call number for this book is in the upper left corner. What is its call number? 2. The title of this book is in boldface type. What is its title? 3. The author s name is underneath the title. Who is the author? When was he born? 4. When was the book published? How many pages does it have? 5. How would you search the card catalog to find more books on the subject of reptiles and amphibians? W1.6 Locate information in reference texts by using organizational features (e.g., prefaces, appendixes). Research and Study Skills 253

10 Directions Look at the search results from a library database. Then answer the questions below. Community Library Contact Us Events Story Time Films and Videos Library Hours Online Card Catalog Search Results for Title containing 5 entries found Results page 1 of 1 Number Title Year Status and the Case of the Dead Eagles and the Case of the Jumping Frogs and the Case of the Slippery Salamander and the Case of the Treasure Hunt 1975 on shelf 2003 checked out 1999 reserved 1988 on shelf 5 Boy Detective 1963 on shelf Order title Reserve title 5. Boy Detective 6. These results are from a search for titles containing. How can you tell? 7. How many entries were found for this search? How many are shown on the screen? 8. How many of these books could you check out today? How can you tell? 9. Which book is the newest? When was it published? 10. Which book is the oldest? When was it published? Home Activity Your child learned about using a card catalog and library database to locate books. Go to the library or check online for a library database. Practice finding books together using the card catalog or the library database. 254 Research and Study Skills W1.7 Use various reference materials (e.g., dictionary, thesaurus, card catalog, encyclopedia, online information) as an aid to writing.