A Resource to use with
Call It Courage
The Call It Courage Resource Guide contains vocabulary, comprehension questions, and activity suggestions to
use with the novel Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry.
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Introduction
I hope you will enjoy Call It Courage. I would
love to hear how this unit works for you in
the classroom.
Gay Miller
[email protected]
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Lesson Plans for Call It Courage
Day1
Vocabulary
Reading &
Comprehension Quiz
Extra Activities
indifference
Chapter 1 - Flight
Hikueru
impending
Coconut
Albatross
Polynesian Canoes
Coral Reefs
Day 2
ominous
Chapter 2 - The Sea
Eaters-of-Man
Chapter 3 - The Island
Descriptive Writing
tumult
Day 3
premonition
haunches
Day 4
deference
Tropical Fruits
Chapter 4 - Drums
impaled
Octopus
Drums
Raft
Hammerhead Shark
Day 5
utmost
Chapter 5 - Homeward
Compare and Contrast
pursuit
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Vocabulary for Call It Courage
indifference - absence of anxiety or interest in respect to what is presented to the mind;
concernedness, lack of interest, lack of concern, coldness
Page 8 - So the people drove him forth. Not by violence, but by indifference.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
impending - close in time; about to occur, looming, in the near future, awaiting, approaching, just
around the corner
Page 8 - It was the season of hurricane and the people of Hikueru were nervous and ill at ease,
charged, it seemed, with an almost animal awareness of impending storm.
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ominous - menacing; threatening, warning, boding evil, threatening, menacing, evil omen
Page 22 - It was an ominous, oppressive world at this season of storm.
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tumult - 1. Agitation of the mind or emotions, befuddlement, blurring, chagrin, cluttering,
commotion, disarranging, distraction, dumbfounding, embarrassing, fluster, perplexing
2. A disorderly commotion or disturbance, commotion, confusion, disquiet, madhouse,
pandemonium, racket, shambles, uproar
Page 26 - The boy lost all sense of time's passage. Every nerve became dulled by tumult.
Page 33 - He was aroused at midnight by a thunderous tumult in his ears.
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premonition - a warning in advance; a forewarning, feeling, intuition, omen, sign
Page 46 - The boy stood there irresolute and uncertain. some premonition of danger kept him
poised, alert, and wary.
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haunches - the part of the body comprising the hip, buttock, and upper thigh; in a squatting
position
Page 51 - Propping the larger piece against a rock, he squatted on his haunches before it and
gripped the small sliver in both hands.
Weary with the exertion, Mafatu settled back on his haunches and watched the leaping flame.
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deference - courteous respect, adoration, applause, appreciation, approval, esteem, honor,
idolization, liking, marveling, praise, recognition, regard, reverence, valuing, wonderment, worship
Page 60 - The other sharks seemed to treat the hammerhead with deference.
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impaled - pierced with a sharp stake or point, stabbed, run through, skewered
Page 66 - The boar impaled itself, shoulder-deep, upon the spear.
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utmost - of the highest or greatest degree, amount, or intensity; most extreme, highest, extreme,
supreme, maximum, chief
Page 80 - Warily, moving with utmost caution, Mafatu crept out of the house.
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pursuit - the act or an instance of chasing or pursuing, hunt, search, quest, tracking down
Page 85 - Mafatu knew that it was only a question of minutes until the whole pack would be
aroused and in pursuit.
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Practice with Vocabulary for Call It Courage
indifference
impending
ominous
tumult
premonition
haunches
deference
impaled
utmost
pursuit
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1. Which word does not belong?
chasing, pursuing, deference, hunt, pursuit, quest, tracking down
2. Give a synonym of ominous as it is used in the following sentence.
It was an ominous, oppressive world at this season of storm.
___________________________
3. Antonyms of the word indifference include concern, sympathy, and interest. Which of
the following is a synonym of indifference?
a. awaiting
b. intuition
c. loneliness
d. coldness
4. Choose the best word to complete the sentence from the vocabulary list above.
Weary with the exertion, Mafatu settled back on his __________ and watched the
leaping flame.
5. Which word can replace the word skewered in the following sentence?
The boar skewered itself, shoulder-deep, upon the spear.
______________________________
6. Complete the following analogy:
neat is to sloppy as far-off is to ??????????
neat : sloppy :: far-off : ____________.
7. Warily, moving with __________ --- greatest degree, amount, or intensity --- caution,
Mafatu crept out of the house.
a. premonition
b. pursuit
c. ominous
d. utmost
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8. Give a synonym for tumult in the following sentence.
He was aroused at midnight by a thunderous tumult in his ears.
________________________
9. Which of the following does not describe deference?
a. a student's feeling towards his favorite teacher
b. ball players' regard for their coach after a winning season
c. a child's feeling about a scary monster under his bed
d. a parent's response to his child winning an art contest
10. Choose the best word from the list above to complete the sentence.
The boy stood there irresolute and uncertain. some __________ of danger kept him poised,
alert, and wary.
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Vocabulary Test
1. ________ haunches
a) menacing; threatening, warning, boding evil,
threatening, menacing, evil omen
2. ________ impending
b) of the highest or greatest degree, amount, or
intensity; most extreme, highest, extreme, supreme,
maximum, chief
3. ________ utmost
c) the act or an instance of chasing or pursuing, hunt,
search, quest, tracking down
4. ________ indifference
d) the part of the body comprising the hip, buttock, and
upper thigh; in a squatting position
5. ________ premonition
e) pierced with a sharp stake or point, stabbed, run
through, skewered
f)
6. ________ ominous
7. ________ deference
8. ________ pursuit
g) courteous respect, adoration, applause, appreciation,
approval, esteem, honor, idolization, liking, marveling,
praise, recognition, regard, reverence, valuing,
wonderment, worship
h) absence of anxiety or interest in respect to what is
presented to the mind; concernedness, lack of
interest, lack of concern, coldness
i)
a warning in advance; a forewarning, feeling, intuition,
omen, sign
j)
close in time; about to occur, looming, in the near
future, awaiting, approaching, just around the corner
9. ________ tumult
10. ________ impaled
1.Agitation of the mind or emotions, befuddlement,
blurring, chagrin, cluttering, commotion, disarranging,
distraction, dumbfounding, embarrassing, fluster,
perplexing
2. A disorderly commotion or disturbance, commotion,
confusion, disquiet, madhouse, pandemonium, racket,
shambles, uproar
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Call It Courage Chapter 1 "Flight"
1. What does the name Mafatu mean?
a) Lone Boy
b) Brave One
c) the Boy Who Was Afraid
d) Great Chief
2. When Mafatu was 3 years old ----.
a) he was kidnapped by members of the Hikueru tribe
b) a wild boar attacked him as he slept
c) the man eaters took his mother
d) he was washed out to sea during a hurricane
3. Mafatu was afraid of -----.
a) birds
b) the sea
c) dogs
d) rain
4. The island people believed Mafatu's fear was caused by ----.
a) a weakness in his mind
b) watching his mother die
c) the ghost spirit
5. Mafatu was not allowed to go with the fishermen because ----.
a) he brought ill luck
b) he always dropped his spear
c) he shook the boat
d) he lost his fish
6. _____ Mafatu's only companion.
a) Moana, his stepmother, was
b) His father and stepbrothers were
c) Kivi, an albatross, and Uri, a yellow dog, were
d) Chief Tavana Nui was
7. Why was Kivi, the albatross, different from the other birds?
a) He was an unusual color.
b) One of his wings had been clipped.
c) He was unable to eat fish.
d) One of his feet was smaller than the other.
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8. What were bonitos?
a) fish
b) crabs
c) birds
d) coconuts
9. Mafatu decided to ----- to prove he was brave.
a) go off into the sea by himself
b) go fishing with the other boys
c) catch a shark
10. How did Kivi, his albatross, help Mafatu?
a) Kivi warned Mafatu of a shark ahead.
b) Kivi guided Mafatu safely away from the island.
c) Kivi brought Mafatu fish to eat.
11. What is the main idea of Chapter 1 "Flight"?
a) The reader learns that Mafatu is the chief's son and he is not liked by the islanders.
b) The reader learns that Mafatu prefers to make spears and fishing nets because he is afraid of
the sea.
c) The reader learns that the islanders dislike Mafatu because he can only find friends with a dog
and a bird.
d) The reader learns why Mafatu is afraid of the sea, and Mafatu leaves the island to face this fear.
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Call It Courage Chapter 2 "The Sea"
1. What did Kiva do once Mafatu was out in the open sea?
a) left him
b) guided him to an island
c) rode in the canoe
2. What sea animals did Mafatu see before the storm?
a) octopus, dolphin
b) shark, whale
c) whale, dolphin, flying fish
d) sting ray, shark, dolphin
3. The sea turned ------.
a) stormy
b) calm
4. How did the canoe hold up in the raging sea?
a) The canoe broke completely into two pieces.
b) The small canoe splintered in the storm and the sea crept into it through the cracks.
c) The well-built canoe received no damage from the storm.
d) The sails split, then the mast cracked and broke off.
5. Mafatu lost his spear, knife, and drinking nuts when -----.
a) a giant octopus grabbed the canoe
b) a whale hit against the side of the canoe
c) an enormous wave washed over the canoe
6. After the storm -----.
a) Uri died
b) Kivi returned
c) sea creatures surrounded the canoe
7. The island Mafatu landed on was ------.
a) peaked
b) flat
8. When the canoe hit the reef it ------.
a) stuck on a piece of coral and would go no further
b) crashed into splinters
c) rested comfortably on the surf
9. As soon as Mafatu reached land he ---.
a) went looking for water
b) fell asleep
c) passed out
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10. The main idea of Chapter 2 is ------.
a) Uri is an understanding companion
b) hurricanes are dangerous
c) Mafatu survived his sea trip to a new island
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Call It Courage Chapter 3 "The Island"
1. What was in the middle of the island?
a) a waterfall
b) a volcano
c) a village
d) a huge rock
2. Why didn't Mafatu eat the coconuts?
a) The coconuts were not ripe.
b) He didn't like coconuts as much as the other fruit.
c) He was too weak to climb up the coconut tree.
3. How was Mafatu going to heal his coral wound?
a) with lime juice
b) with sulfur water from the lagoon
c) by rubbing it with healing herbs
4. After climbing the plateau, Mafatu saw a distant island with ----.
a) an active volcano
b) goats and pigs
c) banana trees
d) smoke
5. How did Mafatu react to seeing the wild boar?
a) Mafatu was terrified and ran in the opposite direction.
b) Mafatu decided to make a spear and kill it for food.
c) Mafatu decided to trap the wild boar, so he would not have to fear it charging him again.
6. Mafatu's grandfather wore ----.
a) a loin cloth and nothing else
b) a headdress made from bird feathers
c) a necklace made from boar tusks
7. What was the first sign Mafatu saw that man had been on this island?
a) Mafatu spotted footprints along the beach.
b) The bananas had been cut by a knife.
c) Mafatu saw human bones.
d) Mafatu saw a cup and a bowl that had been carved from wood.
8. What did Mafatu find at the end of the path?
a) an animal pen
b) an ancient idol
c) a thatched hut
d) a canoe
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9. Mafatu took ---- from the Sacred Place.
a) a knife
b) jewels
c) a spear head
d) bowls and plates
10. Why did Mafatu celebrate touching the idol?
a) Mafatu had conquered a fear.
b) Touching the idol would bring Mafatu good luck.
c) Mafatu wanted to be like his grandfather who had told him about a time he had touched an idol.
11. How did Mafatu make a shelter?
a) by clearing out a small cave
b) by weaving together limbs
c) by plaiting fronds together
d) by digging a tunnel
12. Mafatu and Uri ate --- for supper.
a) bread fruit and bananas
b) fish
c) coconuts
d) wild boar
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Call It Courage Chapter 4 "Drums"
1. The first chore Mafatu completed was ----.
a) starting to build a canoe
b) fishing
c) hunting for meat
d) gathering fruit
2. While he was building the canoe Mafatu would use -----.
a) a float made from coconuts laced together
b) a raft of bamboo
c) rope made from grapevines
3. Mafatu made clothes from ----.
a) tulle grass
b) strips of mulberry bark
c) coconut fronds
4. What did Mafatu use to make knives and fish hooks?
a) sea shells
b) coral
c) rocks
d) whale bones
5. ----- stole the fish in Mafatu's bamboo traps.
a) A sting ray
b) Uri
c) An octopus
d) A hammerhead shark
6. Why did Mafatu attack the hammerhead shark?
a) because he was stealing his fish
b) to save Uri
c) to keep the shark from killing him
d) because the shark had destroyed hours of his work
7. Every day Mafatu -----.
a) worked on making weapons
b) climbed the plateau to his lookout
c) tried to hunt the wild boar
d) visited the ancient idol
8. Mafatu's first meat after days of fish was -----.
a) a bird
b) a goat
c) the wild boar
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9. While diving into the sea to retrieve his knife, Mafatu was attacked by -----.
a) an octopus
b) jellyfish
c) a shark
d) lobsters
10. At the end of Chapter 4 -----.
a) Mafatu caught a sting ray
b) Mafatu headed for home
c) the eaters-of-men came
d) Kivi died
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Call It Courage Chapter 5 "Homeward"
1. Why was Mafatu caught unaware that the eaters-of-man had returned to the island?
a) The eaters-of-man came to the backside of the island.
b) He had not gone to the lookout on the plateau the day before.
c) Mafatu slept in the cave and could not hear their return.
2. The eaters-of-man were armed with ----.
a) axes
b) knives
c) spears
d) war clubs
3. One advantage Mafatu had over the eater-of-man who were chasing him down the trail was ----.
a) he was smaller
b) he could run fast
c) he knew the trail
4. Mafatu ran ----.
a) to his canoe
b) to the cave
c) down the beach
d) to his hut
5. How many warriors chased Mafatu?
a) 5
b) 10
c) 60
d) 20
6. What guided Mafatu home?
a) three stars
b) the sun
c) wind
d) god of the sea
7. How did Mafatu know that the land ahead of him was Hikueru?
a) He saw his family on the beach.
b) He recognized its jagged shoreline.
c) Kivi flew ahead of him to the lagoon.
8. How did Mafatu's father react to Mafatu coming home?
a) He told him to leave.
b) He called him Stout heart.
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Activities
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Hikueru
This story takes place on the island of Hikueru. "Off the tip of Hikueru, the uninhabited islet of
Tekoto lay shrouded in darkness"
Is this a real or fictional place? If it is real, where is it located? What is it like?
Hikueru http://www.com.univ-mrs.fr/IRD/atollpol/irdpoly/ukhikuer.htm
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Coconut
Mafatu survived as a child of 3 because his mother was able to give him the milk of the coconut.
"The little boy was too weak even to cry. At hand lay a cracked coconut; the woman managed to
press the cool, sustaining meat to her child's lips before she died."
Mafatu also packed coconuts into his canoe before leaving the island. "Into the nearest canoe he
flung half a dozen green drinking nuts, his fish spear."
Have you ever eaten a fresh coconut or had coconut milk? Now is a great time to try this treat.
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Albatross
One of Mafatu's friends was a Kivi, an albatross. What does an albatross look like?
Albatross Puzzle Pictures http://animaltrial.com/puzzleanimalpictures/albatrossbirdpuzzlepict.html
Bird Photo Gallery http://www.stanford.edu/~petelat1/
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Polynesian Canoes
Mafatu left his home on the island of Hikueru to conquer his fear of the sea. What did the canoe he
was traveling in look like? Could a lone boy survive in the sea in this canoe for a long period of
time?
Primary Design Features http://www.k12.hi.us/~waianaeh/PolyVoyage/Design/pvdesign.html
Wayfinders : Polynesian History and Origin http://www.pbs.org/wayfinders/polynesian2.html
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Coral Reefs
After leaving the lagoon Mafatu had to maneuver his canoe through the reef.
"...the long-drawn mutter of the reef sounded its note of warning in his ears."
"The reef thunder mounted: a long-drawn, hushed yet mighty sound that seemed to have its being
not in the air above but in the very sea beneath."
"The bird circled slowly in the moonlight, its wings edged with silver. It hovered for a moment just
over the bow of the canoe, then it rose easily, lightly in its effortless flight. Out through the
passage in the reef. Out into the open ocean."
Learn more about the coral reef.
Coral Reef Animal Printouts http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/coralreef/coralreef.shtml
What are coral reefs and why are they in peril? http://www.magazine.noaa.gov/stories/mag7.htm
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Eaters-of-Man
Mafatu was worried that he may land on an island that was inhabited by eaters-of-man. Does
cannibalism really exist?
Check out these sources:
Enyclopedia.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/c1/cannibal.asp
Brittannica http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article?eu=384980&query=cannibalism&ct=gen1
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Descriptive Writing
Armstrong Sperry does an exceptional job of describing Mafatu's surroundings. One example is the
description of the island on page 39.
For a quarter of a mile the coconuts held, beautiful trees that were more luxuriant than any in
Hikueru. It was always thus in the rich soil of the volcanic islands. Then came a belt of breadfruit
and wild bananas, of oranges and guavas and mangoes. The roots of the mapé trees-the island
chestnut-twisted over the ground in strange, tormented shapes. Vines trailed like aerial ropes from
the high branches where orchids bloomed, while little parakeets fled on swift wings and vanished in
the green gloom. Mafatu had never before seen woods like these, for Hikueru was open and windswept.
Choose a place that you are familiar with and try some descriptive writing.
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Tropical Fruits
Breadfruit, bananas, oranges, guavas, coconuts, and mangoes are mentioned in Chapter 3. Have
you tried each of these fruits? If not, now is the perfect time to sample each of these tropical fruits.
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Vocabulary
What's in a word? http://questioning.org/laptop/laptop14.html
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Octopus
While diving into the sea to retrieve his knife, Mafatu was attacked by an octopus. Try making this
edible octopus.
Cut a hotdog to
form the
octopus. Heat
the hotdog in
the microwave
oven.
Place the hotdog on a
bed of cooked shellshaped pasta mixed with
a white sauce.
Decorate with Goldfish
Crackers.
Enjoy!!
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Drums
Make a drum from a large tin can or oatmeal box. Decorate it with Polynesian designs.
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Raft
Mafatu made a raft so he could set out bamboo traps in the lagoon. He knew he would not grow
strong by eating fruit alone. Try making a model of a raft.
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Hammerhead Shark
Mafatu fought the hammerhead shark with just a bone knife and won. How big was this shark? Find
out more about hammerheads here:
Hammerhead Shark
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/sharks/species/Hammerhead.shtml
The Common Hammerhead Shark
http://www.beach-net.com/Sharkhammer.html
Hammerhead Shark
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0822557.html
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Compare and Contrast
Compare Call it Courage to other stories such as:
The Prodigal Son -- Luke 15:11-32
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Movie
The Wonderful World of Disney http://www.ogram.org/sperry/author/callitcourage/disney.shtml
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Additional Resources
EasyFunSchool - Call It Courage -- A Mini Unit http://www.easyfunschool.com/article1931.html
Call It Courage by Jody Pimental
http://www.spart5.k12.sc.us/techtraining/teacher/webpages/Callitcourage/Index.htm
The Armstrong Perry Home Page http://www.ogram.org/sperry/index.shtml
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Answer
Keys
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Vocabulary Test
1. deference
2. Possible answers:
menacing; threatening,
warning, boding evil,
threatening, menacing,
evil omen
3. d. coldness
4. haunches
5. impaled
6. impending
7. d. utmost
8. Possible answers: a
disorderly commotion or
disturbance, commotion,
confusion, disquiet,
madhouse, pandemonium,
racket, shambles, uproar
9. c. a child's feeling about a
scary monster under his
bed
10. premonition
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
D
I
B
H
I
A
G
C
F
E
Comprehension Quizzes
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
1. (c)
2. (d)
3. (b)
4. (c)
5. (a)
6. (c)
7. (d)
8. (a)
9. (a)
10. (b)
11. (d)
1. (a)
2. (c)
3. (a)
4. (d)
5. (c)
6. (b)
7. (a)
8. (b)
9. (a)
10. (c)
1. (b)
2. (c)
3. (a)
4. (d)
5. (b)
6. (c)
7. (b)
8. (b)
9. (c)
10. (a)
11. (c)
12. (a)
1. (a)
2. (b)
3. (b)
4. (d)
5. (d)
6. (b)
7. (b)
8. (c)
9. (a)
10. (c)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
(b)
(d)
(c)
(a)
(c)
(a)
(c)
(b)
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Graphics from:
www.mycutegraphics.com
You can find additional teaching
resources, student projects, and
more at my website.
www.bookunitsteacher.com
Visit my Teacher Pay Teacher
Store for additional products.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.
com/Store/Gay-Miller
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