Unit 8: The Contest by William Hoffman

The Story
In "The Contest," you will meet Earl and his father. They are both at work, and they are working very hard. They work until they are almost too tired to move. Tell about a time when you had to work very hard.

• What kept you going?
• Did you ever start a job and then quit before you finished?
• Tell what happened. 

Literature

In "The Contest," there is a conflict between Ear and his father. A conflict is a struggle or a fight. Conflict is a very important part of many stories and books. You will also find conflict in many TV shows and movies. It is exciting to discover which side or character will win. 

Looking Ahead

Look at the picture on page 166. 

• Where are the men, and what kind of work are they doing?
• Think about the title of the story. What is a contest?
• What kind of contest might the characters be in?
• Read on to see if you are right. 

Class Materials

• Quiz
• Quiz - answer

Unit 7: Space Star by Lael J. Littke

In "Space Star," you will meet Nard and Rel. They are people who do not live on Earth. Narda and Rel live on places far away in space.

• Do you think there are people who live on another planet somewhere? Tell why. 

Literature: 

"Space Star" is a science fiction story. Science fiction stories often take place in strange worlds that are very different from our own. In those worlds, there may be unusual creatures that are able to do amazing things. The stories often take place in the future, hundreds or thousands of years from now. The word fiction means "not true." Can you see how science fiction got its name?

Looking Ahead

Look at the picture on the left.

• Describe the people you see.
• Who do you think those people are?
• Do you think the story takes place in the past, the future, or now? Why?
• Read on to see if you are right. 

Class materials:

• Quiz
• Quiz - answer

Unit 6: Six Rows of Flowers by Toshio Mori

Toshio Mori is the author of "Six Rows of Flowers." This story, like most of Mori's stories, is about his experiences as a Japanese American. When an author writes a book about his or her life, the book is called an autobiography. "Six Rows of Flowers tells about things that happened in Mori's life. Therefore, it is an autobiographical story.

In this story, you will meet Uncle Hiroshi and little Tatsuo. Uncle Hiroshi decides to teach curious Tatsuo some lessons about life.

• How do you think the people in the story earn money?
• What do you think the man might be telling the boy?

Class Materials:

• Vocabulary in context
• Quiz 6
• Quiz 6 - answer

Unit 5: Dr. Heidegger's Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne

In this story, you will meet Dr. Heidegger, a scientist who liked to do experiments. As you know, experiments can lead to important discoveries.

• What were some of the great scientific discoveries that have been made?
• Which one do you think was the greatest discovery of all? Explain why. 

Look at closely at the picture on page 96. 

• What is the biggest difference between the characters at the top of the page and the characters at the bottom?
• When does the story take place? How do you know?
• Notice the four glasses in the picture. What do you think might be in the glasses?

Think about the title of the story before you answer this question.

• Now read the story to see if you are right. 

When you read the story, ask yourself, "What is the main point, or main idea, the writer is making? That is the theme. The theme of a story is different from the plot. The theme is the main idea of the story while the plot tells the important events in a story.

• Try to find the theme in "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment."

Here are links to vocabulary practice:

• Vocabulary
• Vocabulary in context

Listen to the audiobook or watch the movie "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" and identify some differences between the reading and the audiobook or movie. Write down the differences in the comment. 

• The audiobook
• The movie

This quiz is to be summited by the following week. 

• Quiz 5
• Quiz 5 - answer key

Unit 4: Fire by Jack London

This story is related to the important role of weather. Before we start reading this story, discuss the following questions (you can post your answers in comment):

• How important is the weather to you?
• What kind of weather do you like best? why?
• Suppose that you had to live in a place that was very hot or very cold. Which one would you choose? why?

Settings are significant in literature. When you read this story, notice and learn how the author establishes the settings, time and place of the action in the story. 

Look at the picture on page 74, and where do you think the story might take place? Think about the title of the story, "Fire". What do you think will probably happen? 

Read on to see if you are right.

• Vocabulary 
• Vocabulary in context
• Quiz 4
• Quiz 4 - answer key

Listen to the story and see if you can identify some differences between the reading and audiobook. 

• Listen to the story
• Watch the movie 

Extra stories

You can read stories below for fun.

Maybe you find a story that interests you. Then you can use it for your assignment if you don't like stories from the textbook.

• Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• The Adventures of Tom Sayer by Mark Twain 
• The Elephant Man by Tim Vicary

It is not compulsory.
Enjoy!

Unit 3: Younde Goes to Town

Younde Goes to Town is an African folktale. It is about a young man who left his village for the first time. Younde thought that Minu was a very rich man. Younde wrapped up some food and began to walk. He walked for many days. He saw cows, donkeys, people, and a very large building.

Once there was a man named Younde. He lived in the country of Akim. One day he decided to visit the town of Accra. Younde wrapped up some food and began to walk. He walked for many days. He saw cows, donkeys, people, and a very large building.

You can read this story in an interactive way by clicking on the link below.

• Read "Younde Goes to Town" in Prezi. 

Below are some useful links to some course materials and other practice.

• Quiz 3
• Quiz 3 - answer key
• Vocabulary
• Understanding the story

Think about the answers to the following questions. Click on the questions for the answers.

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1. Where did Younde live?

He lived in a small village called Akim.

2. How did Younde spend his time?

He spent his time doing farming and hunting.

3. What did Younde put on when he went to Accra?

He wore his best clothes.

4. What did he wrap in a cloth?

He wrapped some food in a cloth.

5. How many people did he see on the road near Accra?

He saw more people than he had ever seen on the road before. 

6. What language did the people in Accra speak?

They spoke the Ga language.

7. What does Minu mean?

Minu meant I don't understand.

8. What did Younde see in the water?

He saw many little fishing boats with sails on the water.

9. What did Younde think it would be wonderful to have?

He thought it would be wonderful to have Minu's great wealth.

10. Why did Younde feel sad at the end of the story?

Because he thought Minu was dead.

Pick up two or three of the animals discussed in class. Then write a very short story about them. Please write your story in the comment below.