Book 20 Workbook sample

Sent in the Mail Workbook THIS WAY UP Dr Lillian Fawcett & Julie Myers

SAMPLEIns Instructions The Workbooks are designed to provide comprehension activities that compliment and build on the Learn to Read Books. It is envisaged that students will read 6 pages of the book each night and there are two comprehension/activity sheets that relate to those 6 pages. Outlined below are some recommended oral activities: 1. Read the title and look at the pictures. • Ask your child to predict what the story might be about. • The story refers to the book Flat Stanley written by Jeff Brown. You may like to source and read this book before or after reading Sent in the Mail. After reading Sent in the Mail contrast and compare the two stories. • Discuss the postal system. Help your child write a letter. Go to the post office together to buy a stamp and post the letter in the mailbox. • Make a chart with two columns. In one column, make a list of items that you could send in the mail. In the other column, make a list of items that you couldn’t or are prohibited from sending in the mail. 2. Ask your child to read 6 pages each night. At the end of each set of six pages you can do the following activities or ask the questions. Encourage your child to quickly find the sentence that supports his/her answer. • Day 1: Ask your child to retell the story with as much detail as possible. Keep giving prompts (e.g., What was the wall made from? What did Mum buy Ben?). • Day 2: What were the advantages and disadvantages of being flat? You could make this into a chart. • Day 3: Why did they use Ben as a sail? How else could they have got back to shore? What might have happened if they couldn’t get back? • Day 4: Why did they have to buy lots of stamps? Where would you like to go if you were sent in the mail? • Day 5: Why was everyone kind to Ben in the beginning? Why did they start t being mean? What could you do if you saw someone being mean to another child? • Help your child develop a ‘nutshell sentence’ which includes the title, author, key characters and main idea of the story. t t Complete the activity sheets with your child and teach specific comprehension strategies such as going back into the story to check for the correct answer. t © 2015 Dr Lillian Fawcett & Julie Myers www.crackingtheabccode.com

Homophones are words that have the same sound, but different meanings and spellings. Circle the correct homophone in each sentence. 1. Ben couldn’t (hear, here) the girls andSAMPLE boys clapping. 3. Ben, the kite, swooped to the (right, write) and then the left. 4. Being flat was really (great, grate) for playing games like hide and seek. 5. No-one (wood, would) play hide and seek with Ben. 6. Lots of children were flying (their, there) kites. 2. Ben started to moan and (wail, whale) as if he was hurt. 7. Everyone walked (buy, by) thinking Ben was a painting. 8. The wind kept pushing Ben across the (road, rode). © 2015 Dr Lillian Fawcett & Julie Myers www.crackingtheabccode.com

Circle the  or the x. 1. Ben could fly just like the  Xbirds because he had wings. 2. Ben had met the ugly little  Xman in the treehouse before. SAMPLE 3. Father wanted to go fishing  Xbecause it was a windy day. 4. Father turned left because he  Xneeded to get some bait. 5. Ben and Pam each had their  Xown fishing rod. 6. They all got very wet from X the rain. © 2015 Dr Lillian Fawcett & Julie Myers www.crackingtheabccode.com

Read the feelings in the box. Match each sentence with how the person was felling. sad surprised happy afraid helpful 1. The man in the tree house opened the door and saw Ben. SAMPLE 2. The ugly man said, “Goodbye,” to Ben. 3. Mum and Dad could not start the boat. 4. “That would be lots of fun,” yelled Pam and Ben. 5. “You can use me as a sail,” Ben told his mother. © 2015 Dr Lillian Fawcett & Julie Myers www.crackingtheabccode.com