Practice Literary Elements: Name Onomatopoeia and Simile Onomatopoeia is the use of a word to imitate a sound. A simile compares two different things using like or as. Read the poem below. Then answer the questions that follow. Books What can you do with books, anyway? You can laugh at them, frown at them, slam them shut. You can stack them cover to cover till they’re as tall as a skyscraper. You can stuff them in your backpack till it’s heavy like an elephant. Or you can take one, crack it open, and read. 1. Which word in the third line of the poem is an example of onomatopoeia? 2. Write the two similes that appear in the poem. 3. What two things are being compared in the similes you wrote above? © Macmillan /McGraw-Hill 4. Why is the poet’s use of the word slam an example of onomatopoeia? At Home: Together with the student, take turns using Because of Winn-Dixie similes to compare items in your home. Grade 4/Unit 5 153
Practice Vocabulary Strategy: Name Connotation/ Denotation The dictionary definition of a word is its denotation. The feelings associated with a word are its connotation. The bold words in each pair of sentences below have similar denotations, but their connotations are different. Write the feelings you associate with each word. 1. The day was crisp—just perfect for taking a walk. 2. The day was raw. How I wish I’d worn my gloves. 3. Alicia is really goofy. 4. Alicia is really funny. 5. Juan was thrifty and saved his money. © Macmillan /McGraw-Hill 6. Juan was cheap and spent hardly any of his money. At Home: Together, discuss the connotations of the Because of Winn-Dixie 154 Grade 4/Unit 5 following word pairs: task, chore; say, announce; grab, take.
Practice Name Phonics: VC/CV Patterns A two-syllable word with the VC/CV pattern is usually divided between the two consonants. swal low wel come The first syllable of a VC/CV word is a closed syllable. That means it has a short vowel sound and ends in a consonant. Divide each word below into syllables. Write the syllables in the blanks provided. 1. copper 2. member 3. planner 4. market 5. summer 6. slender 7. fossil 8. blanket 9. fiction 10. witness © Macmillan /McGraw-Hill 11. litter Which syllable is accented in these words? 12. At Home: Ask the student to name three two-syllable words Because of Winn-Dixie with the vowel-consonant-consonant-vowel pattern. Grade 4/Unit 5 155