RIC

Newly moved in and eager to meet their neighbours, the Guerrero family had a great idea. They would serve Rosa’s delicious elote, a favorite savoury dip made with corn and cheese, at the block party.

They set up their table in front of their house, located at the quiet end of the block, far from the busy avenue. The family was in a jovial mood as they set up aluminum trays of elote, tortilla chips, plastic bowls, forks, and napkins.

Despite the appealing aroma of corn, few people strolled over, distracted by temptations elsewhere on the block. With few neighbors to serve, Ms. Guerrero permitted Yimi and Luisa to explore. When they returned, ice creams in hand, a commotion grabbed their attention. It was the town’s mayor, Elena Carillo Lopez, and her entourage. They had arrived at the Guerrero’s end of the block.

The mayor stopped first at their table, smiling warmly as Luisa heaped elote into a bowl, added some chips, a fork, and served it with a napkin. “Holy guacamole, your elote is the best!” the mayor exclaimed, glowing with each mouthful.

Rosa blushed, saying, “Gracias, señora.” Well, that did it. It seemed now that everybody else made a bee-line to the Guerrero table for elote. They were newcomers no longer.

R - Why did the Guerreros set up a table at the block party?

I - What caused the Guerreros to no longer feel like newcomers?

C - Find a word in the story that is a synonym for cheerful and happy. 

Monday 7th December

LC: To understand an author's use of language

Opening to ‘The Wizard of Oz’ by Frank L. Baum

Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cookstove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar--except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole.