Spring Semester-Week 14

 Adelina's Whales Story Summary:

This story is an expository text which provides factual information about whales and the story of Adelina in Baja California, Mexico.

Adelina's home is in the city of La Laguna in Baja California where electricity is only on for a few hours per day.

In La Laguna, one can smell the clams and seaweed from the ocean.

In late January, Adelina walks to the beach to see the gray whales after school.

The gray whales travel from far away, as far away as Russia, to come to Baja California for the winter months.

There is a protected lagoon near her home where she can hear the sounds of passing gray whales.

It is in this lagoon in Mexico where humans can touch the massive heads of gray whales.

Whales have been migrating to this lagoon from Alaska and Russia for hundreds of years.

Adelina's grandfather, Pachico, was the first person to talk about a friendly visit with a gray whale.

The family likes to go whale watching in the lagoon, and like to watch the whales come up and then dive down into the lagoon again.

After many people heard about Pachico's story with the whales, scientists and whale watchers started to come to La Laguna in Baja California.

Since their brains are as large as a car's engine, some people think that whales have their own language.

When whales leap out of the water and make a giant splash, it's called breaching.

When whales pop their heads straight out of the water, it is called spyhopping.

A whales' flat tale is called a fluke, and fluking is when a whale raises its tail up in the air before diving is called fluking.

Many of the whale watchers who come to see the whales in Baja California, Mexico come from different countries, and might speak English, Spanish, or other languages.

Adelina thinks that she might become a biologist who studies animal life in the Pacific Ocean.

 It might be hard to become a scientist so she might take pictures as a photographer.

She gets to see these gray whales every year during the months of November, December, and January before they migrate back to the northern parts of the Pacific Ocean.

Adelina hopes that the whales enjoy their stays in her lagoon in Mexico, and can hear their breathing when she listens closely.

Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYrxfFImA-I

Week 14 Vocab Definitions – Adelina’s Whales

1

biologist (n.): A scientist who studies living things like plants and animals.

2

bluff (n.): A high, steep hill or cliff.

3

lagoon (n.): A small body of water separated from the ocean by sand or rocks.

4

massive (adj.): Very large and heavy.

5

rumbling (adj.): A deep, low, rolling sound.

6

tropical (adj.): Related to hot, sunny areas near the equator.

7

homophone (n.): A word that sounds like another word but has a different meaning or spelling.

8

beat (v.): To win against someone or to hit something repeatedly.

9

beet (n.): A red vegetable that grows in the ground.

10

piece (n.): A small part of something, like a piece of candy.

11

peace (n.): A time when there is no fighting or trouble.

12

break (v.): To separate something into pieces.

13

brake (n./v.): A device used to stop a vehicle (n.), or to stop a vehicle by pressing the brake (v.).

14

there (adv.): In or at a place, like "over there."

15

their (pron.): Belonging to them.

16

they’re (contr.): A short way to say "they are."

17

threw (v.): The past tense of "throw," meaning to send something through the air.

18

through (prep.): Moving from one side of something to the other.

19

by (prep.): Near or done by someone.

20

bye (n.): A way to say goodbye.

21

two (n./adj.): The number 2, or describing something with two parts.

22

to (prep.): Going toward a place or a goal.

23

too (adv.): Also, or more than needed.

24

throne (n.): A special chair for a king or queen.

25

thrown (v.): The past participle of "throw," meaning something was sent through the air.

26

aloud (adv.): In a voice that others can hear.

27

allow (v.): To let someone do something.

28

paradise (n.): A perfect, beautiful place.

29

canoeing (ger.): Riding or paddling a small boat called a canoe.

30

kayaking (ger.): Riding or paddling a small boat called

Week 14	Homework 回家功課
Monday May 12th	1. Write Week 14 definitions 1-15 x 2 + definitions + Chinese
Tuesday May 13th	2. Write Week 14 definitions 16-30 x2 +definitions + Chinese
Wednesday May 14th	1. Week 14 Grade 4 Shared Worksheet
Thursday May 15th	1. I2 Week 14 Worksheet
Friday May 16th	1. Sensay homework 2. Write sentences with five vocabulary words from Week 14 2. Adelina's Whales Worksheet Recording