The Shooting of Ginger Goodwin
Reading Strategy
In the last chapter, you learned a pre-reading strategy called Connect. You connected what you already knew about a topic to what you were reading.
In this chapter, you will use a pre-reading strategy called Predict. Predict means guess.
Try this
1. In your reader, look at the title of the next reading.
2. Look at the pictures that go with the reading.
3. Look at these words from the story:
coal | train | steamboat | mining | strike |
war | government | police officer | mountain | speak out |
4. Ask your instructor for the Predict sheet, or open and print one from the link. Under I predict…, answer each question below.
a. When do you think the story takes place?
b. What job did Ginger Goodwin do?
c. How did Ginger Goodwin die?
d. Who might want Ginger Goodwin dead? Why?
You will look back at your guesses after you read The Shooting of Ginger Goodwin.
Word Attack Strategy
One way to learn to read harder words is to study word families. A word family is a group of words with the same ending. In this chapter, you will look at words that end with –ight, –ound, and –ain.
Word Patterns
The three letters –igh make one sound. The letters –igh make a long /i/ sound. These letters are usually followed by t.
The word ending –ain has two vowels that make one sound. The vowels –ai can make the long /a/ sound.
The last word family in this chapter is the –ound family. The two vowels –ou can make the same sound you make when you stub your toe: ow!
Practice reading these words
long /i/ = -igh |
long /a/ = -ain |
ow = -ound |
fight light might night right sight tight |
gain main pain rain brain drain grain train again plain explain |
bound found ground hound mound pound round sound
|
Watch out! Here are some –ai words that make a different sound. The a is silent in these words:
mountain | fountain | captain |
Use Your Strategies
Read The Shooting of Ginger Goodwin in your reader. When you have finished, return to the tasks below.
Try this
Finish filling in your Predict sheet. Under The text says…, write the real answers from the text. Were your guesses right?
Check Your Understanding
Match the sentence beginnings with the correct endings
Rewrite the complete sentences in your notebook.
Sentence beginnings:
1. Albert Goodwin was called Ginger because…
2. Coal was important because…
3. Coal mining was dangerous because…
4. The coal miners went on strike because…
5. Ginger fled to Alone Mountain because…
6. The police came after Ginger because…
7. All the workers in British Columbia went on strike because…
Sentence endings:
…it was illegal for fit men aged 20 to 35 not to go to war.
…they wanted to be safe at work.
…gas and coal dust made workers sick.
…they were mad that Ginger was killed.
…it was used to fuel trains and steamboats.
…he had red hair.
…he did not believe in war.
Grammar
Grammar Rule
A sentence needs a subject and a verb. If a sentence is missing a subject or a verb, it is not a complete sentence.
Copy these sentences, underline the subject, circle the verb
1. Coal mining was not a safe job.
2. The coal dust made people sick.
3. Sometimes gas made the workers sick, too.
4. Sometimes mines caved in.
5. Ginger Goodwin spoke out for workers’ rights.
These sentences are not complete
Write what is missing — a subject or a verb.
6. Did not believe in war.
7. Had many health problems.
8. Said he was fit for war.
9. People in the nearby town.
10. A police officer named Campbell.
11. Found Ginger’s dead body.
12. All the workers in British Columbia.
Are these sentences complete?
Write yes if they are complete and no if they are not complete. Rewrite the incomplete sentences to make them complete.
13. His family called him Ginger.
14. Went on strike.
15. Made a law that all men aged 20 to 35 must fight in the war.
16. The doctor said Ginger was fit to go to war.
17. Escaped to a cabin on Alone Mountain.
18. Miners and friends.
Writing
Was Ginger Goodwin a lawbreaker or a hero? You will share what you think in a paragraph.
Before you write, it helps to brainstorm as many ideas as you can. The web you used in the last chapter is a great tool for brainstorming.
Make a web
1. Ask your instructor for a Make a Web sheet, or open and print one from the link.
2. Write Ginger Goodwin in the big shape. He will be the subject of your paragraph.
3. In one of the smaller shapes, write lawbreaker. On the lines outside of that shape, brainstorm reasons Ginger was or was not a lawbreaker.
4. In another of the smaller shape, write hero. On the lines outside of that shape, brainstorm reasons Ginger was or was not a hero.
5. Leave the other shapes blank.
6. Think about your web. Decide if you think Ginger was more of a lawbreaker or more of a hero.
Now you are ready to put your thoughts into a paragraph.
Writing Task
Use the ideas from your web. Write a paragraph on this topic:
Was Ginger Goodwin a hero or a lawbreaker?
Make sure your paragraph has:
- A topic sentence that says whether you think Ginger Goodwin was a hero or a lawbreaker.
- Details to support your opinion.
- A conclusion that reminds the reader of your opinion.
When you are done:
- Look back to make sure each of your sentences has both a subject and a verb.
- Give your first copy to your instructor for feedback.
- Write a final copy of your work based on your instructor’s feedback.
- Hand in your web, the first copy, and the final copy of your work.
Answer Key
Check Your Understanding | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | Albert Goodwin was called Ginger because he had red hair. |
2 | Coal was important because it was used to fuel trains and steamboats. |
3 | Coal mining was dangerous because gas and coal dust made workers sick. |
4 | The coal miners went on strike because they wanted to be safe at work. |
5 | Ginger fled to Alone Mountain because he did not believe in war. |
6 | The police came after Ginger because it was illegal for fit men aged 20 to 35 not to go to war. |
7 | All the workers in British Columbia went on strike because they were mad that Ginger was killed. |
Grammar | ||
QUESTION | SUBJECT | VERB |
1 | Coal mining | was |
2 | The coal dust | made |
3 | gas | made |
4 | mines | caved or caved in |
5 | Ginger Goodwin | spoke or spoke out |
QUESTION | ANSWER | |
6 | subject | |
7 | subject | |
8 | subject | |
9 | verb | |
10 | verb | |
11 | subject | |
12 | verb | |
QUESTION | ANSWER | REWRITE COMPLETE SENTENCE (Answers may vary.) |
13 | yes | |
14 | no | The miners went on strike. or The workers went on strike. |
15 | no | The government made a law that all men aged 20 to 35 must fight in the war. |
16 | yes | |
17 | no | Ginger Goodwin escaped to a cabin on Alone Mountain. |
18 | no | Miners and friends carried Ginger’s body through the streets. |