1.2: Sweetgrass

Wetland

Learning Goals

In this chapter, you will learn to:

• Print the alphabet in upper case letters
• Hear, read, and write words with a short /a/ and a short /i/
• Copy short sentences
• Read common sight words in a paragraph
• Answer questions about a story
• Complete sentences with original ideas
• Begin a sentence with an upper case letter

Talk About It

• What are some ways that plants help people?

Picture Dictionary
Use the pictures to help you figure out the words.
hurt	street	braid
house	grass	break
feelings	bend	walk
roots

Practice reading the words without the pictures.
street	house	walk	bend	break
hurt	grass	roots	braid	feelings

Word Skills

Word Patterns

The letters a, e, i, o, and u are called vowels. The letter a says /a/ like in apple.

The letter a says /a/ like in apple.

Match the word to the picture.

cap	sad	rat	sat
fat	map	mad	nap

1. ____________	2. ____________	3. ____________
4.____________	5.____________	6. ____________
7. ____________	8.____________

Word Patterns

The letter i says /i/ like in itch.

The letter i says /i/ like in itch.

Match the word to the picture.

lip	wig	rip
hit	fin	dig

9. ____________	10. ____________	11. ____________
12. ____________	13. ____________	14. ____________

Pick the word that matches the picture.
15.		rit	rat
16.		fan	fin
17.		nap	nip
18.		wag	wig
19.		sad	sid
20.		fit	fat

Check your work with the Answer Key at the end of this chapter.

Read these sentences. Practice writing them.

The rat had a nap.

The map has a rip.

He has a fat lip.

She sat on the cap.

I am mad.

Ask your instructor to check your work.

You will see these words in the story. They all have the /a/ sound like apple.

Max	at	grass
asks	after	that
away	bad	happy

You will see these words in the story. They all have the /i/ sound like itch.

live	kids	in
is	pick	it
if	this	will

Use Your Reading Skills

Listen to the story Sweetgrass. Then read Sweetgrass in BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental English – Reader 1.

An audio element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can listen to it online here: https://opentextbc.ca/abealf1/?p=5

Check Your Understanding

Circle yes if the sentence is right. Circle no if the sentence is wrong.

1. Dan used to live on the street.	yes	no
2. Max and Dan are both Cree.	yes	no
3. Sweetgrass is tall.	yes	no
4. Sweetgrass breaks when you step on it.	yes	no
5. Max and Dan eat the sweetgrass.	yes	no
6. Dan says sweetgrass takes away bad feelings.	yes	no

Writing

Below are all the letters of the alphabet. They are in lower case. Write each letter in upper case. The first one is done for you.

a ___A___	b _______	c _______	d _______
e _______	f _______	g _______	h _______
i _______	j _______	k _______	l _______
m _______	n _______	o _______	p _______
q _______	r _______	s _______	t _______
u _______	v _______	w _______	x _______
y _______	z _______

Check your work with the Answer Key at the end of this chapter.

Grammar Rule

Always use an upper case letter at the beginning of a sentence.

She has a red wig. – YES

she has a red wig. – NO

Writing Task

What makes you feel better when you feel bad? Fill in the blanks. Your instructor will help you spell.

Example: I feel better when I go for a walk.

1. I feel better when I ________________________________________.

2. I feel better when I ________________________________________.

3. I feel better when I ________________________________________.

Answer Key
Word Skills
QUESTION	ANSWER
1	map
2	rat
3	nap
4	mad
5	cap
6	sat
7	fat
8	sad
9	dig
10	hit
11	wig
12	rip
13	fin
14	lip
15	rat
16	fin
17	nap
18	wig
19	sad
20	fat
Check Your Understanding
QUESTION	ANSWER
1	no
2	yes
3	yes
4	no
5	no
6	yes
Writing
LOWER CASE	UPPER CASE
a	A
b	B
c	C
d	D
e	E
f	F
g	G
h	H
i	I
j	J
k	K
l	L
m	M
n	N
o	O
p	P
q	Q
r	R
s	S
t	T
u	U
v	V
w	W
x	X
y	Y
z	Z

Attributions

See the Attributions page near the end of this book.