Improving Your Spelling

Review the guidelines for spelling on page 408. Explain that pages 408–413 list words that are commonly misspelled. Recommend that students follow these steps to create a personal spelling dictionary:

• Reserve part of your classroom notebook or create an online file for a spelling dictionary.
• Label the pages or columns with letters of the alphabet.
• Each time you have to look up a word, or when a spell checker corrects it for you, enter it—and its meaning—in your dictionary.
• Then use your notebook as your personalized dictionary.

Also review the spelling rules on page 41. To help students spell new words, offer these steps:

1. Look at the word and pronounce it.
2. Write it down, syllable by syllable.
3. Study all the word parts.
4. Say the word again.
5. Write it without looking at it.
6. Check your spelling.

Finally, remind students to use a spell checker when editing and proofreading their writing for spelling. But be sure that they know that it can’t catch everything—like the spelling of some names and using the wrong word.

Understanding Idioms

This section lists common idioms in American English. Review these idioms as needed with your students, especially with English Language Learners. When you discuss different idioms, talk about the basis for its meaning. For example, explain that the idiom as a crow flies means “in a straight line” because the bird’s path from one point to another point is unobstructed and thus a straight journey. You could also have students illustrate select idioms to demonstrate their understanding of them.

Parts of Speech: Nouns

Page 444 serves as a handy reference, listing the eight parts of speech. Review this chart with students. Pages 445–448 cover all aspects of using nouns, starting with a basic definition and the different kinds of nouns on page 445. Page 447 will be of special importance to English Language Learners because it covers count and noncount nouns.

For practice using nouns, consider the following activities:

• For abstract and concrete nouns (page 445), have students identify examples of each in the sample paragraph on page 80.
• For collective nouns (page 446), have students refer to the chart on page 479. Students could write sentences referring to different animals in the singular, plural, and as a group.
• For count and noncount nouns (page 447), have students write sentences using some of the example nouns given in the explanation.
• For uses of nouns (page 448), have students write sentences using nouns in the four ways listed in the explanation.

Verbs

The next 10 pages cover verbs, including their types, tenses, forms, and uses. Important charts in this section include the “be” verbs (page 453), common modal verbs (age 454), common irregular verbs (pages 458–459), and common two-word verbs (page 462). The information on modal verbs on page 454, continuous tenses on page 456, and two-word verbs on page 462 will be of special importance to English Language Learners.

For practice using verbs, consider the following activities: 

• For linking verbs (page 453), have students write sentences using the following “be” verbs: is, are, was, were, am, and been.
• For modal verbs (page 454), have students write freely for five minutes about their favorite movie or book. Then have them underline any modal verbs they may have used.
• For present and past tenses (page 455), have students rewrite the first few paragraphs in the narrative on page 125, substituting the present-tense for the past-tense verbs.
• For the continuous tenses (page 456), have students write one sentence in the present continuous tense using the helping verb are. Then instruct them to write another sentence in the past continuous tense using the helping verb were. And next have them write a sentence in the future continuous tense using will plus the helping verb be.
• For active and passive verbs (page 457), have students rewrite these sentences so the verbs are in the active rather than passive voice: Garbage is dumped in landfill by city workers. Trash is covered by a layer of dirt to keep animals away. Water can be polluted by harmful chemicals in trash. Landfills are lined with clay and plastic to keep chemicals from leaking.
• For irregular verbs (pages 458-459), create sentences as a class for the principal parts for different verbs.
• For two-word verbs (page 462), assign students different two-word verbs to use in sentences. Have students then display their sentences for discussion.

Adverbs

The next two pages cover adverbs, including different types and forms. Of special importance to English Language Learners is the information on the comparative and superlative forms of adverbs.

For practice using adverbs, consider the following activities:

• For forms of adverbs (page 467), have students write three sentences using the adverb slow in the positive, comparative, and superlative forms. Then have them write three sentences using the adverb rapidly in the positive, comparative, and superlative forms.
• For special forms of adverbs (page 467), have sentences write sentences using the adverbs well, better, and best and badly, worse, and worst. Display and discuss these sentences.