Home-School Connection

Dear Family Member:

This week our class will be focusing on why rules are important.
Which rules do we follow in our everyday life?

Here are some activities that you can do with

your child to help reinforce the skills we’ll be
practicing.

Word Workout (see page 124)

• Words to Know: multiple-meaning words
You will write each word on a piece of paper
and then place the words face-up on a table.
Your child will define one of the words, and
you will try to guess the correct word. Then
you switch roles.
• Spelling/Phonics: short vowel digraphs
You will say pairs of spelling words. Have
your child say “yes” if they have the same
vowel sound, or “no” if they do not. This
week’s words contain the phonic sounds of
short u spelled ou, short i spelled y, or short e spelled ea.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Comprehension: cause and effect (see page 125)

Your child will read a short story and determine causes and effects.

Unit 5 • Week 5 121

 Word Workout
Words to Know
I will write each word on a piece of paper. Let’s place the words face-up
on a table. Next we will read the words together. Then you will choose a
word (without telling me which one) and define it. I will hold up the word
that matches the definition and read it aloud. If I am correct, I keep the
word. Then we switch roles.

united rules exclaimed finally

public history form writers

Spelling Words
Let’s read the spelling words together. Then I will choose two words and
you tell me if they have the same vowel sound. Say “yes” if they both
contain the same vowel sound. Say “no” if they do not. For example,
myth and thread. (No)

dead ahead lead thread bread

touch trouble gym myth breath

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Review: small chalk

124 Unit 5 • Week 5

 Comprehension: Cause and Effect

Stormy Weather!
Listen to the following story, then answer the questions below.

The Morton family was eating dinner when

a sudden storm hit. The wind shrieked, the rain
poured, and the lights went out. Mrs. Morton
rushed to close a window that was still open from
the warm afternoon.
The family looked outside. “Oh, wow, part of
the tree came down,” exclaimed Jake. “And it
crushed Aggie’s dog house on one side. I don’t
think she can go in it.”
“Well, Aggie’s safe in here, so that’s okay,”
said Marla. “She’s under the couch, where she
goes when it’s thundering. She’ll just have to stay
inside until we can take care of the tree and fix her
dog house.”
“What’s that noise?” Mr. Morton said
suddenly. He walked to the basement door and
opened it. He shined a flashlight down the steps.
“There’s water running through the basement,” he
announced to the family. “I knew I should have
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

waterproofed the walls.”

“Well, we still have dessert to finish,” said
Mrs. Morton. “It will taste just as good in the dark.”

1. What caused part of the Morton’s tree to come down?

2. What caused Aggie to hide under the couch?

3. What was the effect of Mr. Morton not having the basement
waterproofed?

4. What causes Aggie not to be able to go outside for awhile?

Unit 5 • Week 5 125