Spelling • Word Meaning

Name

echoes volcanoes wolves wives sheriffs

photos shelves dominoes cuffs tornadoes
data media solos staffs sopranos
scarves bacteria thieves buffaloes loaves

A. Read the word histories. Fill in each blank with a spelling word.
1. shelves : an Old English word scylfe meaning “ledge” or “crag”
solos
2. : a Latin word solus, which means “alone”
sopranos
3. : a Latin word supra, which means “above”

B. Write the spelling word that matches each definition below.

4. small living things that often cause disease bacteria

5. criminals who take other people’s property thieves

echoes

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6. repeating of sounds
7. shaggy-haired animals living on the North American plains buffaloes

8. destructive funnel-shaped clouds tornadoes

9. rectangular-shaped blocks used for playing games dominoes

10. wild canines that hunt in packs wolves

11. mass communication, such as newspapers, TV, and the Internet media

12. sturdy walking sticks staffs

To provide support for the first
13. married women wives activity, review each Latin definition.
Then have students discuss which spelling
14. law enforcement officers sheriffs words match best.

15. openings in the Earth’s crust that let out ash and lava volcanoes

16. folded-up material around the bottom of pants cuffs

17. baked bread loaves

18. garments worn around the head or neck scarves

19. pictures made by a camera photos

20. collected facts or information data

68 Grade 6 • Unit 2 • Week 1

 Spelling • Proofreading
Name

Six misspelled words are in the paragraphs below. Underline each

misspelled word. Then write the words correctly on the lines.
If you’re planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park, be sure to take
your camera. You’ll want to take lots of photoes of the wildlife there.
Before you drive through the park, pick up a wildlife book that provides
important datas on the animals you will see from a distance. When you
park in designated areas, do not leave valuables in your car. Thiefs have
been known to break into parked vehicles.

You might also take a pair of binoculars. Keep them handy as you drive.
You might spot some buffalos interacting with a wolf. Or when you’re in
your motel late at night, you might hear the echos of wolfs howling.

1. photos 3. thieves 5. echoes

2. data 4. buffaloes 6. wolves

Writing Connection
Write about a trip you’ve taken or would like to take to a
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national park or wildlife area. Use at least four words from the
spelling list.
Answers will vary.

Grade 6 • Unit 2 • Week 1 69

 Phonics/Spelling • Review
Name

Remember
While most nouns become plural by adding -s or -es to the end of the word,
irregular nouns form plurals in other ways.
• In words that end in -f or -fe, such as shelf and knife, change the -f to -v
plus -es to form the plural: shelves, knives.
• Some irregular nouns are made plural by adding different endings (ox,
oxen), changing vowels (goose, geese), or changing the word (person,
people).
• Still other irregular plurals remain in their singular form: fish, deer, species.

echoes volcanoes wolves wives sheriffs

photos shelves dominoes cuffs tornadoes
data media solos staffs sopranos
scarves bacteria thieves buffaloes loaves

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Fill in the missing letters of each word to form a spelling word.
Then write the spelling word on the line.

1. thie v e s thieves 11. da t a data

2. cuf f s cuffs 12. loa v e s loaves

3. sopran o s sopranos 13. shel v e s shelves

4. wol v e s wolves 14. sol o s solos

5. sherif f s sheriffs 15. wi v e s wives

6. sta f f s staffs 16. domin o e s dominoes

7. tornad o e s tornadoes 17. med i a media

8. phot o s photos 18. scar v e s scarves

9. buffal o e s buffaloes 19. bacter i a bacteria

volcanoes echoes
10. volcan o e s 20. ech o e s

70 Grade 6 • Unit 2 • Week 1

 Vocabulary • Content Words
Name

Content words are words that are specific to a field of study. For example,
words like government, colonists, and patriots are social studies content words.
Authors use content words to explain a concept or idea. Sometimes you can
figure out what a content word means by using context clues. You can also
use a dictionary to help you find the meaning of unfamiliar content words.

Go on a word hunt with a partner through “The Democracy Debate.”

COLLABORATE Find as many content words related to the history of democracy as
you can. Write them in the chart below.

CONNECT TO CONTENT
Answers will vary.
“The Democracy Debate”
philosophers senate
gives facts about the
democratic amended history of democracy. It
introduces the reader to
debate ancient philosophers and
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their views on a
vote
democratic government.
government The author uses content
words that help you
understand this social
studies topic.

Circle two words that you were able to figure out the meaning of using
context clues. Write the words and what they mean on the lines.

Preselect words that have strong context clues in the selection, such as,
philosopher and amend. Direct students to work with those examples.

Grade 6 • Unit 2 • Week 1 71

 Vocabulary • Spiral Review
Name

Write the vocabulary word from the box that answers each clue below. You may
use a dictionary to confirm word meanings.

salaries consolation manufactured formula

pulverize cascaded basically inventory

factors sarcastic fluctuate available

sarcastic
1. This word might describe someone’s sense of humor.
pulverize
2. This describes what you can do with a sledgehammer.

3. This verb can refer to the rise and fall of temperature. fluctuate

basically
4. This word is a synonym for essentially.

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cascaded
5. This describes how a waterfall moved down a cliff.
salaries
6. This word describes what workers earn from their employers.

7. This word describes an award you get that isn’t first place. consolation

factors
8. This word is a synonym for elements.
inventory
9. This is a word for all the items for sale at a store.

10. This word can describe a friend who is free to go to movies. available

formula
11. This word might describe an equation.

12. This describes the final product of an automobile plant or a paper mill.
manufactured

With a partner, write more clues for the vocabulary words.

COLLABORATE Trade your clues with another pair and work together to figure
out the answers.

72 Grade 6 • Unit 2 • Week 1