Unit 3: Wild BC
The Journey of the Salmon
Reading Strategy
We can’t believe everything we read. In the last chapter, you learned about the difference between fact and opinion. Knowing whether the statements we read are facts or opinions helps us form our own ideas.
Which of these statements are facts? Which are opinions?
| 1. A fish farm is a place where fish are bred and raised for food. | fact or opinion? |
| 2. Many salmon are bred in fish farms in British Columbia. | fact or opinion? |
| 3. Salmon are tasty. | fact or opinion? |
| 4. Fish farms should not be allowed in British Columbia. | fact or opinion? |
Here are some statements about salmon
Some are true and some are false. Predict whether each statement is true or false.
| 5. Salmon act like food for trees. | true or false? |
| 6. Salmon change colour at the end of their life. | true or false? |
| 7. It is illegal to fish salmon in British Columbia. | true or false? |
| 8. Salmon can leap up waterfalls. | true or false? |
| 9. Salmon return to their birthplace to lay eggs and die. | true or false? |
Word Attack Strategy
In the last chapter, you learned about syllables with the letter y. In this chapter, you will learn about r-controlled syllables.
Word Patterns
An r-controlled syllable is a syllable that has a vowel followed by the letter r. The r changes the vowel sound. The vowel sound is neither short nor long.
Read these words:
- her
- bird
- burn
The –er, –ir, and –ur in the middle of these words all make the same sound. That means there are three ways to spell this sound: –er, –ir, and –ur. The –er is the most common.
The letters –ar can make many sounds. For now, think of their sound as the one you hear in car.
The letters –or can also make many sounds. For now, think of their sound as the one you hear in horn.
Practice reading these words
|
her serve nerve fern |
bird first shirt birth skirt |
burst burn nurse surf curl |
park farm arm far harm |
horn thorn pork storm short corn |
Remember, an r-controlled syllable has the letters –er, –ir, –ur, –ar, or –or.
Examples |
|
| Ginger: | The second syllable – ger – has the letters –er so it is r-controlled. |
| charming: | The first syllable – charm – has the letters –ar so it is r-controlled. |
| morning: | The first syllable – morn – has the letters –or so it is r-controlled. |
Underline the r-controlled syllable in each word
| 1. water | 2. forest | 3. over | 4. starting |
| 5. farming | 6. river | 7. return |
Use Your Strategies
Read The Journey of the Salmon. You’ll see if your predictions are right. You will also come across many words with r-controlled vowels in bold.
Check Your Understanding
Look to see whether each statement is true or false
Then look back at your predictions. Did anything surprise you?
| My guess | The text says | |
| 1. Salmon act like food for trees. | true or false? | true or false? |
| 2. Salmon change colour at the end of their life. | true or false? | true or false? |
| 3. It is illegal to fish salmon