Going West

1. Going West From Children of the Wild West by Russell Freedman Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

2. Genre: Expository Text • The purpose is to share information with the reader or to persuade the reader to think or act a certain way. • Facts about real events or real people are included. • Information is presented in a straightforward way. • Events are presented in the order in which they happened. • Writing may be organized by topics. • Diagrams, photographs, maps, or other illustrations may be included. Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

3. Background Knowledge • Half a million people moved out West in search of farmland and gold. • The Oregon Trail, which cut through Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, and Utah, was the only feasible way for pioneers to travel across the mountains. Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

4. Word Knowledge The following words are comparative and superlative adjectives. maddest deeper earlier youngest Comparative adjectives describe a comparison of two things. The –er ending is added to an adjective. What two words are comparative adjectives? Superlative adjectives describe the highest degree or quality of something. The –est ending is added to an adjective to make a superlative. What two words are superlative adjectives? The pool is deeper than the Jacuzzi. The baby is the youngest of the three children. Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

5. Word Knowledge The following words contain the suffix –ness, which means “the quality or state of being”. wilderness darkness kindness soreness state of being kind state of being wild state of being sore state of being dark Can you name other words with the suffix –ness? Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

6. Word Knowledge The following words contain words with the Long e sound. creaked prairie before pioneer _ie ea ee e What Long e spelling does each word contain? Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

7. Word Knowledge The following words contain the Greek prefix tele-, which means “distant”. telegram telegraph telephone television What other words have the Greek prefix tele-? Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

8. Word Knowledge The youngest children rode in the wagons. Identify the verb in this sentence. “Rode” is an irregular verb. What is the present-tense form of “rode”? ride Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

9. Word Knowledge Vivid verbs help make a sentence more interesting. What verb was used in place of “started” to make the sentence more interesting? In the darkness, they had kindled fires and put on kettles of water. Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

10. Word Knowledge The wagon creaked and groaned. The word “creaked” in this sentence is an onomatopoeia; that is, the sound of the word gives its meaning. What other examples of onomatopoeia can you think of? The snakes __________________ . The annoying flies ______________ around the room. hissed buzz Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

11. Word Knowledge People in distant cities used to communicate by telegraph. Identify the word with the Greek prefix tele- in this sentence. Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

12. Selection Vocabulary plod ding plodding parched parched stur dy sturdy jolt ed jolted sentries sen tries Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

13. Selection Vocabulary: plodding The swaying wagons, plodding animals, and walking people stretched out along the trail for almost a mile. The plodding child was always last to get on the bus. plodding (adjective)—walking in a slow, heavy way Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

14. Selection Vocabulary: parched It clogged the boy’s nose, parched his throat, and coated his face. The blazing sun parched the wilting flowers. parched (verb)—made hot and very thirsty Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

15. Selection Vocabulary: sturdy The wagon creaked and groaned, but it was still sturdy. Is the deck sturdy enough to support this heavy hot tub? sturdy (adjective)--strong Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

16. Selection Vocabulary: jolted Hanging from a rope was a sealed pail of milk that bounced steadily as the wagon jolted along. jolted (verb)—moved in a sudden, violent way The old roller coaster jolted up the slope. Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary

17. Selection Vocabulary: sentries The pioneers had been up since that morning, when the sentries started the day by firing their rifles. The sentries watched for intruders from the lookout tower. sentries (noun)—people stationed to keep watch; guards Fourth Grade, Open Court Unit 6: A Changing America Vuthny Prak, Palmetto Elementary