Suffixes -ous, -sion, -ion, -ation Generalization When adding -ous, -sion, -ion, and -ation, some base words change. A final e or y may be dropped: famous, furious. Some words have other changes: decision. Word Sort Sort the list words by their suffix. -ous -ion 1. 9. 2. 10. 3. 11. 4. 12. 5. -ation 13. -sion 6. 14. 7. 15. 8. 16. 17. 18. 19. Spelling Words 1. famous 2. invention 3. election 4. furious 5. imagination 6. education 7. nervous 8. explanation 9. various 10. decision 11. relaxation 12. conversation 13. tension 14. humorous 15. exhibition 16. attraction 17. invasion 18. creation 19. occupation 20. destination 20. Home Activity Your child is learning about suffixes. Have your child tell you the four suffixes studied and spell each for you. DVD 306 Suffixes -ous, -sion, -ion, -ation
Summary The Truth About Austin s Amazing Bats In Austin, Texas, you can see over a million bats in the night sky. The reconstruction of the Congress Avenue Bridge unintentionally created a perfect habitat for bats. The massive number of bats that pours out from under the bridge attracts many tourists. People come to watch them from high spots and low spots; some watch even from boats. Today Austin loves its bats although that was not always true! Activity Going Batty Are you afraid of bats? Use the library or Internet resources to list the kind of bats common to your area. Find out their habits and what they eat. Try to see real bats in a zoo or wildlife refuge. Find out how and where to see them in the night sky. Then tell your family what you learned about bats. Comprehension Skill Draw Conclusions When you draw a conclusion, you form an idea based on what you know or on the facts and details in a text. You can check your conclusions by asking yourself: Is this the only logical choice? Are the facts accurate? Activity Make a bat scrapbook, using photos or drawings of bats that are local as well as from other areas. Label the pictures, listing the areas the bats are found and a few details about each one. Then try to draw a conclusion about what makes bats scary to some people. Are they really scary or mainly harmless creatures? Explain your findings to your family. Family Times DVD 307
Lesson Vocabulary Conventions Words to Know Knowing the meaning of these words is important to reading Austin s Amazing Bats. Practice using these words. Vocabulary Words bizarre strange; weird; very unusual breathtaking so surprising, impressive, or beautiful that it could make people gasp headline the title of an article in the newspaper high-pitched describes a sound that is higher than most other sounds roost a place to rest and sleep vital necessary; crucial Practice Tested Spelling Words Modifiers Remember to use modifiers correctly. A modifier is a word that limits the meaning of another word. Keep modifiers close to the words they modify. Sometimes using modifiers incorrectly changes the meaning of a sentence. For example, Only Ken visits has a different meaning from Ken only visits. Prepositional phrases should be kept close to the words they modify too. For example: The gift from France is on the table has a different meaning than The gift is on the table from France. Activity Mixed-Up Modifiers With a family member, make a list of seven words or phrases you can use as modifiers. Tight, rich, and very rich are a few examples of modifiers. Then pick a sentence out of a newspaper, magazine, or book. Make a new sentences by inserting as many modifiers as you can from your list into the sentences you choose. How are the meanings of the new sentences similar to the meanings of the original sentences? How are they different? DVD 308 Family Times
Draw Conclusions Active readers draw conclusions, or make decisions, based on information in the text and their own knowledge. Examine your own conclusions as you read. Ask yourself, Can I support them with information from the text or with facts I already know? Directions Read the following passage. Then answer the questions below. Coral reefs are formed from the hard skeletons of sea animals. They are found in oceans around the world, but mainly in clear, warm tropical seas. Coral reefs provide food and shelter for many different kinds of fish and sea creatures. For example, they protect animals such as sponges from their enemies. In addition, coral reefs protect shorelines from erosion. They act as a barrier to the pounding waves. Coral reefs may even contribute to the well-being of human beings. Substances gathered from tiny animals growing on coral reefs may one day be made into medicines. Finally, coral reefs are known for their beauty. They attract tourists to vacation areas, allowing local people to earn a living. 1. What conclusion can you draw about the functions of coral reefs? 2. What is an important fact that supports this conclusion? 3. What is another important fact that supports the conclusion? 4. What are two more facts that support the conclusion? 5. What details in the passage help you to visualize a coral reef? How did visualizing details help you to understand the passage? Home Activity Your child drew and supported a conclusion in a nonfiction text. With your child, read a magazine article about the ocean. Work together to draw a conclusion based on the text and your prior knowledge. Find and talk about details in the text that support your conclusion. Comprehension DVD 309
Generalize Directions Read the following passage. Then answer the questions below. Paul was planning to bake his mother s birthday cake. His father claimed to hate to cook and never missed a baseball game, but Paul asked him if he wanted to help bake the cake anyway. Sorry, I d rather watch the game, his father said. Paul always had a good attitude, so he found a good recipe in a cookbook, made a list of ingredients, and then rode his bike to the supermarket. When he got home, Paul lined up the ingredients on the table in the order he would need them. Then he turned on his favorite music and put on an apron, singing all the while. In the living room, his father was watching the game and heard Paul making noise out in the kitchen. He looked in to see Paul, flour all over his face, singing and mixing ingredients. His father had to smile. It looks like you re having fun. Do you have another apron for me? Paul s father asked. 1. What did Paul want to do? 2. Why didn t Paul s father want to help? 3. What generalization about Paul s father do you see with the word never? 4. What generalization about Paul do you see with the word always? 5. Write a statement to generalize what happens in this story. Home Activity Your child read a story and determined and made generalizations. With your child, find and read a story and help your child generalize about the outcome. DVD 310 Comprehension
Modifiers Directions Add adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases to these sentences. Use modifiers to create a more specific, interesting picture. 1. The bridge held bats. 2. A bat appeared. 3. The creatures scattered. 4. The bats searched. Directions Imagine you find something interesting in a tree. Write a description of what you find and how you find it. Use modifiers to create a vivid word picture. Home Activity Your child learned how to use modifiers in writing. Give your child simple sentences such as those in items 1 4 on this page and have him or her add modifiers to make interesting story starters. Modifiers DVD 311
Suffixes -ous, -sion, -ion, -ation Spelling Words famous invention election furious imagination education nervous explanation various decision relaxation conversation tension humorous exhibition attraction invasion creation occupation destination Match Suffixes Draw a line from the word or word part to its suffix. Write the word on the line. attract creat deci exhibit furi ion sion ous ion ion 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. humor imagin occup relax vari ous ation ous ation ation 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Double Puzzle Unscramble the list words. Use the numbered letters to find the answer to the question. What is a destination for fun, attractions, and relaxation? 11. ASFUMO 4 12. ESNVOUR 9 13. ONTNEIS 6 14. CNPAIUCTOO 11 1 15. ESOOTRACNIVN 13 3 16. xohniebiti 7 17. vinanois 12 2 18. arecntoi 8 19. ninvetnio 10 20. deuncaiot 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 4 8 9 10 11 12 13 k Home Activity Your child has learned to read, write, and spell words with suffixes. Look through books or magazines with your child and try to find four other words with the same endings. DVD 312 Suffixes -ous, -sion, -ion, -ation
Draw Conclusions Active readers draw conclusions, or make decisions, based on information in the text and their own knowledge. Examine your own conclusions as you read. Ask yourself, Can I support them with information from the text or with facts I already know? Directions Read the following passage. Then complete the diagram and answer the question. David and his friends were at the beach one day. They noticed a lifeguard s chair and laughed. We know how to swim. We don t need a lifeguard! they chuckled. While they were out in the water swimming, David suddenly shouted in pain. After the boys helped him to shore, they saw his leg had long, bright red marks across it. No one knew how to stop the pain until a lifeguard found them. You ve been stung by a jellyfish, he told David. Jellyfish float out in the water. Their stingers cause pain. He rinsed David s leg with seawater and removed the jellyfish stingers with tweezers. He applied a cream from his first-aid kit and bandaged the leg. Keep your leg still, and check with your doctor, he told David. Before long, David s leg and spirits both began to feel better. What Can I Conclude? 1. Lifeguards have the ability What Does the Text Say? 2. The lifeguard knew 3. The lifeguard also knew 4. David s leg 5. What is another conclusion you might draw from the text about swimming at a beach? Home Activity Your child drew conclusions based on the details of a story. As you read a story together, work with your child to draw conclusions about the characters and events. Comprehension DVD 313
Modifiers Directions Underline the prepositional phrase in each sentence. Write adverb or adjective to identify how the prepositional phrase is used. 1. We observed some insects with red eyes. 2. Up the glass crept a graceful brown spider. 3. A firefly flashed its light across the dim room. 4. The ladybug had four black spots on its back. 5. We saw a bee with a long stinger. 6. Black bats fluttered around the cage. Directions Underline the adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases in each sentence. The number in ( ) tells how many modifiers a sentence contains. (Do not underline the articles a and the.) 7. The scientist has several unusual specimens in her collection. (3) 8. There is a tiny black Free-tail from Mexico. (3) 9. In the spring, she found a bright blue butterfly on a flower. (4) 10. She carefully preserves the rare creatures. (2) 11. Winged creatures add beauty and color to the world. (2) Directions Underline the misplaced modifier in each sentence. Rewrite the sentence, and put the modifier where it belongs. 12. He only studies Mexican bats nothing else. 13. She saw a rare small-footed bat resting with her binoculars. 14. The bats amazed the students with their sharply curved wings. DVD 314 Modifiers Home Activity Your child reviewed modifiers. Have your child use a magazine article or story to show you good examples of adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases that make the writing specific and interesting.