I went to help my nephew, Joseph, with his school math contest. He was a new kid at his school. Joseph had overheard that the prize was a trophy.
First, we had to think of what math problem we wanted to solve. Then we gathered materials to show on a display board. The board explained how and why Joseph got the results of the math problem. We took a photograph of Joseph with the display board.
Joseph was shy when he presented his project. He wished he did not have to stand and talk in front of his class. He spoke in a low whisper and blushed when the class clapped. When he finished, his teacher thanked him. Then he went back to his seat. Joseph felt glad and proud!

7.4.1

Script
Ruth went to China for five months. She felt sad to leave but had to go with her parents. Ruth’s parents needed to go for a job opportunity. Ruth felt lucky because she had learned to speak Chinese. When Ruth’s family got to China, she went to a new school. She missed her pals. She did not know anyone, but soon she made a best friend, Phen. 
Phen and Ruth were in the same class. Phen and Ruth rushed to shops and even had a photograph made. They rode bikes and played fun games. When it came time to go back home, Ruth and Phen hugged. When Ruth got back home, she was glad to see her friends but missed Phen, so Phen and Ruth became pen pals.

Lesson 8.3 Review Digraphs

Script
Mr. Thrain’s class strained to hold their hands high so they would be picked to read their report. It was Henry’s time to read. “Please read your paper to the class,” said Mr. Thrain. Henry felt a lump in his throat and his heart throb. He could not help thinking about what a strict critic Mr. Thrain could be. Henry began to read.
“China is in the East. It has a rich heritage. In the past, China was ruled by dynasties. China has many farms. The people grow crops like rice and wheat. Rice grows well when the land is wet. An animal represents each year in China. I was born in the year of the rabbit.” Henry finished reading. The class sprang to their feet and clapped.
“That was great, Henry,” said Mr. Thrain. “Maybe one day you will take a trip to China.”

Lesson 8.4 Three - Letter Blends

Last Sunday David and Eve went to the beach. 
It was a sunny day. It got hotter and hotter. At last it was ninety-five degrees. 
Eve laid out a blanket. Then she got out her sunscreen. She rubbed the white cream on her back. She rubbed it on her arms and her legs. She rubbed it on her nose and her cheeks. She even rubbed it on her elbows and her toes.
“David,” she said, “would you like some sunscreen?”
“No, thanks,” said David. “I’ll be okay without it.” Then he ran off to play soccer. 
David played soccer. He tossed a Frisbee. He ran a relay race. He rowed a boat. He swam. He splashed in the waves. He went diving for shells. He made a scarf out of seaweed. Then he lay down and took a nap.
All this time the sun was shining brightly. Rays of sunlight were landing on David’s arms and legs.
At last the daylight faded. David was set to go home. But when he got up, he felt some pain on his legs. He looked down. His body was as red as a lobster. His thighs looked like two roasted hams. His toes looked like ten bright red pigs running on the sand.
“EEK!” cried David. “I’m fried! I should have used Eve’s sunscreen!”.

9.3 Review vowel sounds

If you want a snake for a pet, you need to take care of it. You will need the gear for having a pet snake. Get a clear tank with a tight-fitting lid. Do not keep the tank bare. Set newspaper at the bottom. Provide a small box in the tank for the snake to hide under. Snakes like hiding spots. To keep the snake warm, set a heat lamp near the tank.
Snakes do not need to eat every day, but they always need water in the tank. Snakes sleep a lot. Be careful when you hold a snake. You need to aware that snakes can bite. But many snakes are harmless and you do not need to be afraid of them. You can have a pair of snakes as pets. Before getting a snake, you need to prepare. Go to a pet store and ask questions. Compare different kinds of snakes.

9.4  Review vowel+r sounds

Once, a bee stung Vincent on his cheek.
“Ouch!” said Vincent, grabbing his cheek. “What bee has stung me? What bee would dare to sting me?”
The bee buzzed.
“Look at me!” Vincent shouted at the bee. “I am the prince of France! You are a foolish bee if you think you can sting a prince like me!”
The bee buzzed off.
Vincent ran after the bee. He shouted in his loudest voice, “You will not escape from me, bee! I will ride after you on my horse!”
Vincent got his helmet and his lance. He got up on his horse. Then he rode off on his quest for the bee.
Vincent rode north and south. He rode past rivers and lakes. He looked for the bee in houses. He looked for the bee on farms. He looked for the bee up in trees and down in holes.
But he never found the bee.

10.3  Review all vowel sounds

Clare wanted a pet. She did not want a pet with hair because it could shed. She begged her dad to take her to the pet fair. Her dad put the car in gear and they drove to the air. When they got there, her dad said, “Clare, let’s look at the snakes!” She had a fear of snakes, but she gritted her teeth and went near. Clare looked in the tank and could hear the snake slither. 
The man at the fair let Clare hold the snake. She thought it would be slick, but it was dry. The snake flicked its tongue and Clare giggled. “Dad, can I have a snake?” Clare asked.
“Will you take care of it?” Dad asked.
“I will!” said Clare. Dad grinned and said yes! Clare named her snake Deary.

10.4  Review vowel+r sounds

You may be unclear about the job of an EMT. An EMT rides on an ambulance and helps those who are sick or hurt. An EMT takes classes so he or she knows how to help. An EMT might have to get up at a late hour in the night and prepare to go on a call.
EMTs need to listen to the sick or hurt person so they can find out what is wrong. An EMT might kneel by the side of the person to take vital signs like a pulse and the rhythm and rate of breathing. When an EMT gets a call, he or she has to act fast and get to the scene. An EMT has to write a lot of paperwork. An EMT has to be careful to avoid dangerous things at a scene like a tree limb that might have been knocked from a tree.

Lesson 11.3  Silent letters

It was the first Thursday of summer vacation. It was hot. Joey Jenkins and his younger brother Pete were sitting by the pool trying to stay cool. Pete had his ankles and toes in the water. 
“Hey Pete,” Joey shouted at his little brother, “let’s play sink or float.”
“How do you play?” asked Pete.
“First I go and find something,” explained Joey. “Then I ask you if you think it will sink or float. Then I throw it in the pool and we find out if you were right or wrong.”
“Okay,” replied Pete.
Joey ran to the garage and got a brass key.
“That must be pretty heavy,” said Pete. “I say it’s going to sink for sure!”
Joey tossed the key in the pool. It sank below the surface in an instant.
“Okay, little brother,” said Joey, “you won that one. Do you want to play again?”
Pete nodded his head.
Joey sprinted up to the house and got an apple from the boys’ mom. 
“I predict that will float,” said Pete.
Joey tossed the apple in the pool and. sure enough, it nodded and floated on top of the water.
Joey ran over to the woods and picked up an acorn that was lying beneath a towering old oak tree.
“Gee,” said Pete. “That’s a tough one. An acorn might sink, but then again, it might float.”
“Sink or float?” said Joey. “I need a decision now!”
“Um, I guess it will sink, “Pete said.
Joey tossed the acorn in the pool. It bobbed and floated on top of the water right next to the apple.
“Ha, ha! You lose!” Joey cried.
Joey ran into the house and got a plastic model airplane he had built.
“Sink or float?” he asked.
“Sink!” said Pete.
Joey set the airplane ever so gently on the surface of the water. At first it looked like the airplane was floating.
“Ha, ha!” said Joey. “It floats! You lose again!”
“Not so fast!” said Pete. He thumped the water with both of his feet and made a gigantic wave. The wave went crashing over the airplane. The airplane filled with water and began sinking.
“It sinks!” said Pete, smiling. “So I win!”
“No fair!” said Joey. “That’s cheating!”

An Van Nguyen