October/November 2024

World War II was the biggest and deadliest war in history. It involved dozens of countries around the world. The war was fought on land, in the air, and at sea in two main areas: Europe and the Pacific Ocean.

The war broke out in 1939, when Germany invaded its neighbor Poland. Under the leadership of dictator Adolf Hitler, Germany sought to rule all of Europe. Some countries, including Italy and Japan, joined Germany in its quest to conquer other nations. Together, they were called the Axis Powers.

A group of countries known as the Allied Powers, or the Allies, battled against the Axis Powers. The Allies were led by Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and—later in the war—the United States. They fought to defend their nations and others.

The United States stayed out of the first two years of the war. However, it supplied ships, airplanes, and weapons to the Allies. But in 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, an American military base in Hawaii (pictured here). After the attack, the U.S. joined the Allies in the war.

After years of brutal fighting, the war in Europe ended in the spring of 1945 with Germany’s defeat. The war in the Pacific ended in September 1945, when Japan surrendered. An estimated 80 million people died because of the war. 

Look at the photographs on the top of page 6 and read the caption. How do they support the quote from the article that the Indian boarding schools were “not a good place for Nez”?

Compare the side-by-side photographs of a Navajo student upon entering a boarding school and that same student three years later. Why might these photos have been included?

Look at the map on page 7. In your own words, describe what the map shows.

Look at the chart titled “The Secret Code” on page 8. How do you think the code words for the military terms shown were chosen?

noun

the state of being trapped in one place, unable to leave or move freely

adjective
 

animals that are domesticated have been tamed over thousands of years so they can live around humans as pets or farm animals

adjective
 

in danger of becoming extinct, or completely dying out

adjective

unusual and fascinating, often coming from a faraway place

This exotic insect looks like a flower and lives in Asia.

adverb

in a way that’s against the law

A police officer gives a ticket for a car that’s parked illegally.

noun
 

official documents used by travelers to prove who they are and which country they are from

noun
 

the process of making a person or an animal healthy again after an injury or illness

verb

to sneak something into a place where it’s not permitted to be

My Aunt Dawn tried to smuggle her dog into the restaurant even though no pets are allowed there.

noun

the act of buying and selling things in ways that are against the law

The man was caught trafficking stolen watches.

• Most of the land in Guyana is covered with tropical rainforests—thick evergreen forests that are hot and get a lot of rain. 
• The rainforest is home to several animals. You’ll meet the ones pictured here in the play!  

toucans

mockingbirds

armadillos

sloths 

leopards

• Cleo: a brave and caring 11-year-old girl 
• Nanna: Cleo’s wise grandmother  
• The Moongazer: a giant, ghostly monster that appears during the full moon

• The play is based on a short story by author Wendy Shearer (pictured here).
• Wendy got the idea for her story from a folktale her grandmother told her. Her grandmother was from Guyana.
• A folktale is a story that’s passed down in a place through the ages, often told aloud.

• The play mentions food and drinks that are popular in Guyana, such as: 

coconut water: the clear juice inside of coconuts. (Coconuts need to be cracked open to get to the juice!) 

chicken curry: a chicken stew made with a yellow spice mix called curry.

adjective

having made a decision that won’t change

Priya felt firm about which snack she wanted.

noun
 

a small sign or suggestion, often of something positive

The teacher’s smile gave Sasha a glimmer of hope that she had passed the test.

verb
 

to pause before deciding what to do or say

noun

the arms and legs of people and animals

verb

appears or stands over someone in a frightening way

A dark cloud looms over the people trying to enjoy the beach.

verb
 

to speak out against something you disagree with

noun
 

a ghost

verb

to look at all of something

Willow surveys her surroundings.

Haikus written in English usually have 3 lines and a certain number of syllables. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the last line has 5 syllables.

Haikus also . . .

• are traditionally about nature
• are usually written in the present tense
• often do not rhyme and do not have a title

A syllable is each part of a word that you say aloud.

For example:

The word cafeteria has 5 syllables.

ca/fe/ter/i/a

The phrase “children in the cafeteria” has 9 syllables.

chil/dren /in/ /the/ ca/fe/ter/i/a

Read this poem:

Outside, icicles
sparkle brightly in the sun
that slowly melts them.

Now think: Is it a haiku? Why or why not?

Click to the next slide for the answer. ➔

Yes! It's a haiku!

Outside, icicles
sparkle brightly in the sun
that slowly melts them.

Things that make this poem a haiku:

✔️ It has 3 lines.

✔️ The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the last line has 5 syllables.

✔️ It’s about nature.

✔️ It’s in the present tense.

✔️ It does not rhyme. 

✔️ It does not have a title.

Now read the poem in Storyworks. What features of a haiku can you find in it?