I Love I Love Guinea PigsGuinea Pigs

By: Dick King-SmithBy: Dick King-Smith

Genre: Expository NonfictionGenre: Expository NonfictionAuthor’s Purpose: InformAuthor’s Purpose: InformSkill: Text StructureSkill: Text Structure

Compiled by Terry Sams, Piedmont

SummarySummary•   Guinea pigs aren't pigs, although the

males are called boars and the females are called sows.  These chubby rodents, originally from South America, make great pets.  They live a long time (for rodents) and they're not fussy.  They eat and "talk" a lot.  And if you treat them well, they can become fond of you.  Are they the perfect pet?  Dick King-Smith, the author of I Love Guinea Pigs, sure thinks so!

Genre: Expository Genre: Expository NonfictionNonfiction

Nonfiction is writing that is based on fact instead of on imaginary events. It is a type of literature that deals with real people, events, and experiences. It explains the nature of something, or tells what something is like. It uses definitions, examples, classifications, and comparisons.

Comprehension Skill - Comprehension Skill - Text StructureText Structure

•Knowing how a piece of text is organized helps the reader to make better sense of the information.

•Fiction is often organized in the order things happen.•Nonfiction can be organized by patterns such as sequencing, cause and effect, fact and opinion, compare and contrast, and main

ideas and details.

An opinion is a statement that tells what someone thinks. Opinions also can change.

Comprehension Skill – Review Fact and Opinion

A fact is a true statement. Some facts never change. But some facts can change.

A fact that can change: The food is hot

Practice Text Structure – Practice Text Structure – Fact and Opinion Fact and Opinion TE 195bTE 195b

Facts Opinions Personal Experience

Guinea are pigs rodents.

Guinea pigs are such sensible animals.

I’ve had hundreds of guinea pigs over the last 50 yeas.

They have special front teeth that are great for gnawing.

They’re awfully easy to keep, because they aren’t fussy.

I used to give my guinea pigs lots of others kings of foods.

Now you Practice – Fact and Now you Practice – Fact and Opinion Opinion TE 195bTE 195b

Statement Fact or Opinions?

How Do You Know?

They don’t like the cold, of course, or the damp. . . (p.187)

Guinea pigs need plenty of food. (p. 189)

Vocabulary Skill - Vocabulary Skill - HomographsHomographs

• Homographs are words that are spelled the same and sound the same. They can be pronounced differently.

• Examples – • read – read record present• sow – sow record present• Homophones (homonyms) are spelled

differently but pronounced the same.• there – their – they’re• your – you’re• too – to - two

Literary Device – Literary Device – OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia TE 195iTE 195i

• Words that imitate the sounds they describe are called onomatopoeia.

• Onomatopoeia makes meaning clearer.

• Onomatopoeia makes writing livelier and more interesting.

Examples: Compare guinea pigs make noises with guinea pigs say putt, chut, and tweet.

Practice OnomatopoeiaPractice Onomatopoeia

Sounds That Guinea

Pigs Make

Go to page 191 to locate words that imitate the sounds guinea pigs make.

Research Skills – Research Skills – Charts/Tables Charts/Tables TE 195jTE 195j

• When doing research you may find information in charts or tables.

• Charts and tables show information “at-a-glance” rather than with words.

• Charts organize information in a way that is easy to follow.

• A table is a kind of chart that presents information in rows and columns.

Weekly Fluency CheckWeekly Fluency Check• Go to pages 188-189 “I once had a . . .”

or• Go to page 191, “Another nice. . .” Read with Accuracy – Use your knowledge of

word structure to pronounce words correctly. The word cauliflower can be broken down

into 4 parts and sounded out. Look for and decode any difficult or many syllabled words in the passage as you read.

(The teacher will listen to you read.)

Review Review

1.How are guinea pigs and pigs alike and different?

2.What does the author think about guinea pigs?

3.How does the author know so much about guinea pigs?

Review 2Review 21. What does an owner need to do to

make his guinea pig friendly and tame?

2. What does the author want you to remember the most about guinea pigs?

3. Why will the author never forget King Arthur and Beach Boy?

Writing AssignmentWriting Assignment

Write a paragraph explaining what you have learned about guinea pigs from this selection. Be sure to proofread for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. You may use the information on the table on Workbook p. 79-80 for information.

More Good StuffMore Good Stuff• Interesting Facts • More About Guinea Pigs• Guinea Pigs• Reading Test• Spelling Test• ABC Spelling Words

Say It!Say It!• boars

• fond• gnawing

• sow• varieties

More Words to KnowMore Words to Knowancestors

cavyconversationguinea pig

rodents

fondfond

•loving and liking

boarsboars•male pigs or hogs

gnawinggnawing•biting and wearing away

varietiesvarieties•different kinds, types, or sorts

sowsow•a fully grown female pig

ancestorsancestors•persons from whom one is directly descended

conversationconversation•friendly talk

cavycavy•any of the family of South American rodents

guinea pigguinea pig•a small, fat animal with short ears and a short tail or no tail

rodentsrodents•any of a group of animals with large front teeth used for gnawing

The dog was gnawing on the shoe.

The dog was gnawing on the shoe.

There are so many varieties of guinea pigs to choose from.

There are so many varieties of guinea pigs to choose from.

These rodents are from the cavy from South America.

These rodents are from the cavy from South America.

The guinea pig males are called bears.

The guinea pig males are called boars.

The ancestors of the guinea pig came from Dutch Guiana many years ago.

The ancestors of the guinea pig came from Dutch Guiana many years ago.

Rats and mice are also rodents.

Rats and mice are also rodents.

The guinea pigs like for you to have a friendly conversation with them.

The guinea pigs like for you to have a friendly conversation with them.

A sow can have babies several times a year.

A sow can have babies several times a year.

Have you ever had a guinea pig for a pet?

Have you ever had a guinea pig for a pet?

Terry is fond of her guinea pig.

Terry is fond of her guinea pig.

Spelling WordsSpelling WordsCompound WordsCompound Words

•baseball•basketball•upstairs•myself•highway

•classroom•anyway•newspaper•something•sometimes

Spelling WordsSpelling WordsCompound WordsCompound Words

•chalkchalkboardboard•earearringsrings•nightnighttimetime•motormotorcyclecycle•downdownstairsstairs

•softsoftballball•weekweekendend•classclassmatemate•doordoorbellbell•drivedrivewayway

This Week’s Word Wall WordsThis Week’s Word Wall Words

Click and type your own words for this week:

Let’s review our words. Watch carefully because

they will flash on the screen for just a

moment. We will clap as we spell the word.

baseball

basketball

upstairs

myself

highway

classroom

anyway

newspaper

something

sometimes

chalkboard

earrings

nighttime

motorcycle

downstairs

softball

weekend

classmate

doorbell

driveway

GREAT GREAT JOB!JOB!