Watch the video and answer some of the questions with a parent, a sister, a brother, or a friend.

Discussion questions and writing prompts for Carla’s Sandwich

Before listening to the story think about the following questions:

1. What would it be like if we were all the same? When do you want to be different and when do you want to fit in?

2. Why is it okay to look, think, or act differently than other people? Who do you know who thinks or behaves differently than others?

Reading Focus: Look for and listen to details from the story.

3. What does Carla say to the other kids when they make fun of her sandwiches?

4. Carla is generous and always offers some of her extra sandwiches to her classmates. Name some of her other character traits.

5. Think about one of Carla’s most unusual sandwiches. Does it sound yummy or yucky to you? What kind of crazy sandwich would you like to make?

Writing prompts:

6. Write about a time when you felt different from everyone else. Did you feel okay being different or were you lonely or unhappy. How can you make yourself feel better?

7. Why do many people want to be popular? Is that important to you?

8. Carla describes herself as unique. Name some ways that you are unique from other people.

Week 3-Please watch the video below to learn how to check out an ebook from our online catalog.

Week 4- Primary and Secondary Sources- Part 2

Watch the video below and answer the questions about Secondary Sources.

Discussion questions and writing prompts for Pop's Bridge

Before listening to the story think about the following questions:

1. What do you know about the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California?

2. What are some other famous landmarks, buildings, sculptures, bridges or human made structures that are famous in our country?

Reading Focus: Look for and listen to details from the story.

3. Why does the narrator, Robert, call the bridge Pop's Bridge?

4. Why does Robert steal away the puzzle piece? Who did he want to give it to?

Writing prompts:

5. What does Robert mean when he says, "equal work, equal danger" about the work that his father and Charlie's dad do?

6. Why was working on the bridge so incredibly dangerous for all the workers? Would you like to do that kind of work? Why or why not ?

Questions and writing prompts for The Marshmallow Incident

Before listening to the story ask yourself the following questions:

1. What does the word ambidextrous mean? Look it up if you don't already know.

Reading Focus: Listen to the story and look for details from the text.

2. How did the marshmallows appear in the first place?

3. Why did the knights feel the need to guard the marshmallows?

4. What unusual ways did they eat the marshmallows?

5. How is this story similar to Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs? How is it different?

Writing prompts:

6. Tell how the townspeople celebrate with each other each year.

Questions and writing prompts about Evaluating Websites

1. What are the 5 Ws that help us know if a website is a good source of information to learn from?

2. Why is it important to know if the author of a website is an expert on the subject?

3. Why do we need to know when a website was made? If you're writing a biography about a famous person why is it important to have up-to-date information? Is it accurate if the information is 10 or 20 years old?

4. If the website is trying to sell you something or make you believe something is it reliable or a good site?

Writing prompts:

5. Use the website learnersdictionary.com to look up the two words accurate and hoax. How are they different from each other?

Week 10-Questions and writing prompts about Evaluating Websites- part 2

1. Watch the video and listen carefully for information that we learned about last week in our google meet. Remember the 5w's - who, what, when, where, and why.

2. Use learnersdictionary.com to look up words that you don't know. Start by looking up the two words relevance and bias.

The author's purpose is either to persuade, inform or entertain. (They spell PIE.)

3. How does a website author try to persuade a reader to buy something or believe something?

4. Can something you're learning be both informational and entertaining? Give an example.

Writing prompts:

5. Match up this week's words for TRAPP - timeliness, relevance, accuracy, author, and purpose with last week's words: who, what, where, when, and why. Do they match up evenly?

Week 11- Questions and writing prompts about "alliteration"

Before listening to the story ask yourself the following questions:

1. What do I know about figurative language? Have I ever heard of similes, metaphors, idioms, or alliteration? These are all used in fiction writing.

2. Alliteration definition: the use of repetitive letter sounds to create a poetic element when writing

Reading Focus: Listen to the video and answer these questions.

3. What books have you read in which the author used alliteration?

4. Try to think of some more examples of products (things we buy or use) with alliterative names. (Think of different examples from those mentioned in the video.)

5. How can alliteration help people learn how to pronunciate words better?

Writing prompts:

6. Try writing your own tongue twisters using alliteration. *Remember you can use the same consonant over and over or the same digraph blend like "gl" in glass, globes, and glow

For example: Green glass globes glow greenly.

Week 12- Questions and writing prompts about Figurative Language"

Before watching the video ask yourself the following questions:

1. What do I know about figurative language? How is it different from literal language? (Literal language is saying exactly what you mean.)

Listen and watch the video and answer these questions.

2. The definition of figurative speech at the beginning of the video states: "figurative language helps us to be more effective, persuasive, and impactful." What do you think impactful means? (Look at the root word- impact)

3. When and how do you use persuasive speech?

4. Look for figurative devices when you read fiction. Why is figurative language important for writing fiction?

Writing prompts:

5. Try writing some similes of your own. Remember similes are a way to compare two different things by usually using the words "like" or "as."

Examples: She runs as fast as lightning! or He swims like a fish!

Week 13- Questions and writing prompts for Armadilly Chili

Before listening to the story ask yourself the following questions:

1. Where does this story take place? Why is the setting important for a story? How will it determine the characters and the plot?

Reading Focus: Listen to the story and look for details from the text.

2. What other folktale does this story remind you of? How did the author change the original characters and the plot to fit this setting?

3. What words or phrases does the author use to describe the setting in this story?

4. The setting of a story is not just a place. It also includes the time of the story. How do we know the season from the story details?

5. How do the characters change in order to solve the problem?

Writing prompts:

6. Make a list of the alliterative phrases in the story. Remember- alliteration is using a series of repetitive letters or sounds to create a funny or poetic effect in writing. (Examples from the story: tapping his toes, a boxful of beetles.)

Week 14- Questions and writing prompts for Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code: A Navajo Code Talker's Story

Before listening to the story ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is an unbreakable code? Why would a code be useful in combat (battle.)

2. What do I already know about World War 2? Do you have any family member or neighbors who have served in the military? Ask them to tell you about the experiences that they would like to share. This is our history and it is important to remember it.

Reading Focus: Listen to the story and look for details from the text.

3. What do you think was the hardest part of going to boarding school for the Navajo children in the 1930s? Why were they told they needed to learn English?

4. How did Chester Nez and his fellow soldiers invent the unbreakable code?

5. Why was it so important to keep the code a secret even after the war was over?

6. How did Chester's family help him get well again after seeing the horrors of war?

Writing prompts:

7. Try to create your own code using a combination of letters or numbers. For example 1=A, 2=B, etc. See if you can communicate with family or friends using your code.

Week 15- Questions and writing prompts for Knots on a Counting Rope

Before listening to the story ask yourself the following questions:

1. What do you think the story title means? How do we keep track of time? How do we remember things from our past?

Reading Focus: Listen to the story and look for details from the text.

2. The boy's name is Boy-Strength-of Blue-Horses. How did he get his name?

3. What does the grandfather mean when he says that the boy was born with "a dark curtain before his eyes?" How does the story explain what this means?

4. What does it mean when the grandfather tells the boy that his "courage lights the way?"

5. What do the knots on the counting rope mean?

Writing or drawing prompts:

6. Choose one story from your own life and write it down step by step. Tell it to your family and friends several times. Does it change each time that you tell it or does it stay the same? Try drawing the same story with several illustrations.

Week 16- Questions and writing prompts for Because and the video of "Ode to Joy."

Before listening to the story ask yourself the following questions:

1. What do I know about classical music and about Ludwig van Beethoven? Why is classical music important to the history of music?

Reading and Listening Focus:

2. How are the two videos related to each other?

3. How does the concert in the story "Because" affect the little girl's life? How did she get the opportunity to go to the concert?

4. How many countries are represented in the video of the orchestra and choir performing "Ode to Joy?"

5. Even though the lyrics (words being sung) are in German, Beethoven's native language, how does the music make you feel? What does the word "ode" mean?

6. What instruments are being played? Do you play an instrument or what instrument would you like to learn? Would you enjoy singing in a choir or maybe by yourself? Try drawing or dancing while listening to this music. Or simply sit and listen to the music with your eyes closed. Enjoy!

Week 17- Questions and writing prompts about "Internet Safety"

Before watching the video ask yourself the following questions:

1. The internet is a quick and fun way of communicating as well as sharing and learning information, however, it can also be a tool that others use to get your personal information or to hurt other people's feelings.

Remember that adults- parents, grandparents, teachers, and other trusted adults want to keep you safe and help you use the internet safely. So why is it important to talk about internet safety often?

Listen and watch the video and answer these questions.

2. What are 3-4 things that you should never share online? Why should you keep these things to yourself?

3. What should you do or who should you talk to if you see something inappropriate on the internet? (It could be something that you know is not appropriate for your age or something that makes you feel uncomfortable.)

4. What are some ways that people cyberbully (bullying others online and not in person) ? Think of all the different ways that you use the internet- email, watching videos, or social media.

Writing prompts:

5. Write some more rules that you have for using the internet that your family or teachers have already taught you.

What is culture?

Culture: the total way of life of a particular group of people. This includes everything that a group of people thinks, says, does, and makes. This may include language, religion, food, clothing, sports, family life and celebrations. America has many different cultures within our country.

What is Culturegrams and how do I use it?

Culturegrams is an online database that all students in APS schools can use. This site presents facts about all 50 states of the USA as well as information about countries of the world.

Directions to find and use Culturegrams:

1. Go to the Ventana Ranch Elementary School website.

2. Click on the library tab.

3. Click on Culturegrams in the list of Library Resources on the right side of the page.

4. Login for VRES:

username: culture1 password: lizard

5. Use the drop down menu in the upper right corner to go between states, world, and kids edition. Provinces Edition is for the country of Canada. (It's interesting to read about!)

Getting started

1. For this week choose a state and try reading 3 or 4 sections about that state. For example, when going to the New Mexico state page you can choose any of the articles in the column on the left such as: climate, timeline, Native America, or fiestas.

2. Choose another state and read several sections about that state. How are the states similar and how are they different?

*You can even click on the listen button on the top right corner to have the text read aloud to you!

Have fun exploring this fascinating resource!

Week 19- Questions and writing prompts about research

Before watching the video ask yourself the following questions:

1. What do I know about research? How is research different from reference?

2. Why do I need to know how to do research?

Reading Focus: Watch the video and ask yourself these questions.

3. What are the steps to start conducting research?

4. What resources do I have available to do my research?

5. What kind of an end product or project do I want to have? (What is my final goal?)

Writing prompts:

6. Write down 4-5 subjects that you are interested in. It could be anything... American or world history, how to make or do something, a famous inventor or explorer, learning about an animal or a type of music ...anything!

Week 20- Questions for The Story of Molly Pitcher

Before reading or listening to the story think about these questions:

1. What have you learned about the American Revolution (1775-1783) in your study of history? Perhaps you've learned about General George Washington, Paul Revere, or Ben Franklin?

Many women including Martha Washington assisted soldiers behind the battle lines. This story is about an American hero and her actions in a time when women did not fight in battles.

Reading Focus: Listen to the story and then answer these questions:

2. Why did the men shout out, "Molly! Pitcher!" during the battle of Monmouth? What other ways did the women help during battles?

3. How did Molly display her bravery during the battle?

Writing or drawing ideas:

4. Write a description of some of the feelings that Molly and the soldiers might have felt both during and after the battle.

Week 21- Questions for Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau

Before reading or listening to the story think about these questions:

1.Think of an invention that you wish existed. How could you create it? Who could you ask for help and what materials would you need to make your invention?

Reading Focus: Listen to the story and then answer these questions:

2. What are some things that Jacques created as a boy? How does someone become an inventor?

3. How did Jacques become a "Manfish?" What things did Jacques and his friends use to explore the ocean?

4. How did Jacques's invention of the aqualung or scuba gear change the way we can all explore the ocean?

Writing or drawing ideas:

5. Pretend that you are Jacques Cousteau. Write an imaginary description of your first deep sea dive.

Week 22- Questions for How to Write a Biography

Before watching the video think about these questions:

1. What do you know about biographies? Who could you write a biography about? What is the difference between a biography and an autobiography?

Reading Focus: Listen to and watch the story and then answer these questions:

2. When writing about someone's else's life why is it important to know something about the time period that they lived in?

3. Besides explorers, presidents, artists, and athletes; who are some other people that you might study and write about when writing a biography? (Remember- they don't always have to be famous!)

Writing ideas:

5. Give the names of 2-3 people whom you might like to learn more about. Where could you find information about them?

Week 23- Questions for The Coal Thief

Before watching the video think about these questions:

1. What do you know about coal as a fuel? A thief is someone who steals something. What could the story be about? Is it ever okay to steal something? Reading Focus: Listen to and watch the video and then answer these questions:

2. How would you describe Harley's character. Think about his physical appearance, his words, and his actions.

3. Papa asks Georgie, "You know stealing's wrong?" The author says that Georgie felt shame curl his toes. What do we know about Georgie from this description.

4. How does Georgie's Papa make the best of a bad situation? What did they do with all of the coal?

Thinking/ writing ideas:

5. How did Harley convince Georgie to steal? Why is it so difficult to resist peer pressure?

Week 24- Exploring Encyclopedia Britannica

Watch the video and try using this online database yourself.

Follow these steps to go to the Encyclopedia Britannica database:

1. Open a new window in Google

2. Type in my.aps.edu

3. Type in your regular username and password (Use the same username and password that you use for all of your classwork)

4. Choose the icon that says APS Libraries

5. Click on Britannica School

6. Double left click on Elementary and begin exploring

That's all there is to it!

___________________________________________________________

Search for 1 or 2 subjects that interest you.

Read through the articles and find the videos, photographs, and text in each article.

Click on the words in blue to go to another window with details about that particular subject.

This is a great resource for doing research reports. Just remember to put the ideas into your own words when you write your report!

What a fun way to explore factual information! Be curious!

Week 25- Questions for The Big Brag

Before reading or listening to the story think about these questions:

1. What's the difference between bragging and telling about something that you can do well?

Reading Focus: Listen to the story and then answer these questions:

2. Hyperbole is using exaggeration for humor or emphasis. What are some of the silly exaggerations included in this story? What is the greatest use of hyperbole in the story?

3. Can you think of other stories in which an animal or a person brags about something? How can bragging get someone in trouble?

4. What is the moral or lesson of this story? How do you know?

Writing or drawing ideas:

5. Try thinking up some other animals and the exaggerations that they could use to brag about themselves. Make a chart with several animals and their great skills.

Week 26- Questions for Math Curse

Before reading or listening to the story think about these questions:

1. Think of how many ways you use math and numbers in the course of one day? How about your parents? or your teacher? or a restaurant owner? or someone who works for the electric company in your city? a baseball player or a balloon pilot?

Reading Focus: Listen to the story and then answer these questions:

2. Why does the main character think of math as a "curse."

3. Think about what you like about math. What kind of math is difficult for you? How can you become better at learning that type of math?

4. Lane Smith was the illustrator of Hooray for Diffendoofer Day. How do his pictures help the author tell the story better? Which is your favorite illustration? Which one is the craziest?

Writing or drawing ideas:

5. Try several of the problems from the book. You have 20 kids in your class... so how many toes do you all have together? How many shoes are you all wearing? How many shoes are you wearing during google meets? (Trick question- I know some of you are in your socks!)

Week 27- Questions for Limerick Poems for Kids and How to Write a Limerick

Before watching or listening to the videos think about these questions:

1. What are some different types of poetry that you know? Remember- not all poetry has to rhyme!

Reading Focus: Listen to the story and then answer these questions:

2. Which lines have to rhyme when writing limericks?

3. Who was Edward Lear and why is he important when talking about Limericks?

4. How many syllables should each line in a limerick have?

Writing ideas:

5. Try writing several limericks yourself. Hear are some fun opening lines:

There once was a cat named Kazoo.... (think of words that rhyme with Kazoo)

I know a young man from France ...

An old woman who loved to eat grapes ...

Week 28- Questions and writing prompts for Thank You, Mr. Falker

Before listening to the story ask yourself the following questions:

1. What are some things that you are good at? Maybe doing math or dancing or being a good friend? What are some things that are difficult for you to do?

Reading Focus: Listen to the story and look for details from the text.

2. Why does Trisha say that reading was just plain torture? Why does she hide under the stairs during recess time?

3. What does Mr. Falker mean when he tells Tricia that she doesn't see numbers or letters the way other kids do?

4. How do Mr. Falker and Miss Plessy help Tricia learn to read?

Writing or drawing prompts:

5. This story is semiautobiographical which means that it is somewhat based on the author's own life experiences. How did Tricia prove to everyone that she wasn't dumb or stupid?

6. Who can you ask for help when you don't understand how to do something or when you need to learn a new skill?