SPIRE Level 5

popcorn former fork forever torn
bigger mistake things
page strong nest ants stones
carefully piece during
thrown order thousand riddles reached

circle fallen

whiskers frame

The judge called for order in the courtroom.
Just before the cat leaped to the ground, I called her name.
Many animals live in the rain forest.
I live near the northern border of Maine.
In the summertime, I just love to sit on my porch and rock.
I’ve never forget what I learned about the history of my state.
Dad will be forty on his next birthday.
The man knows a thousand riddles.
I will stay after school today for support in math.
This cat sure has the longest whiskers I’ve seen.

144 Decoding and Sentence Reading A

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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The Dragonfly

An adult dragonfly is easy to spot. It has a long body,
and four see-through wings. Its huge eyes form most of its
head. We can move our eyes up, down, right, and left. But
we have just one lens and can send only one picture to our
brain at a time. The dragonfly can’t move its eyes at all.
But it has compound eyes that are covered with as many
as 28,000 lenses! So a dragonfly’s eyes can see everywhere
at once! The dragonfly’s eyes make its sight very keen and
make it easy for it to catch other insects in midair. The
dragonfly eats mosquitoes, so they are good to have around.

You may have seen a dragonfly speeding along above a
pond. How speedy is a dragonfly? It has been known to fly
as fast as 60 miles per hour. A dragonfly can also change
course very suddenly. Sometimes it changes so quickly, you
cannot see where it has gone and cannot follow its flight.

Adult dragonflies live for just a short time. But they can

The Dragonfly 145

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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live for a year or more when they are first born—under
water! Here is what happens: The mother dragonfly lays
eggs in water. It takes one to three weeks for an egg to
hatch. Out of the egg, a young dragonfly, called a nymph,
comes forth. It has no wings and a thick body. It will spend
a year or more in the water, hunting small water creatures.
It catches these creatures by using its long lower lip, called
a mask. The mask has spikes at the end. The nymph can
shoot out its mask to spear its food.

As it gets older, the nymph gets bigger—but its skin
does not! The nymph must shed its skin about 12 times
before it is fully grown. When it is ready to become an
adult, it climbs out of the water for the first time and goes
up a reed or plant. There, the nymph sheds its skin one last
time. What comes forth is an adult dragonfly. The adult
dragonfly has to rest for a while and let its wings dry. Then
it flies away, leaving its old skin behind. In 2–4 weeks, it
will be ready to mate and lay eggs of its own.

146 The Dragonfly

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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corner storage screech smallest ahead
hornet meal hidden simple important
surround slightly sound daylight shift
finish baseball appear glasses master
horse north sport history forest

Did you put all the tools away in the storage shed?
You will see our house after you turn this corner.
I love to go south in the winter when it is so cold up north.
I will meet you first thing tomorrow morning.
Gordon did not want to go near the hornet’s nest for fear
of being stung again.
It is important for me to show you which button to push.
I’m afraid I forgot to do my homework last night.
A predator is an animal that lives by stalking, killing, and
feeding on other animals.
An owl is a predator.
Be careful of the thorns on that rosebush.

Decoding and Sentence Reading B 147

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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More Sayings Explained

The Saying: Mr. North was mad at his boss for being
late. “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” his boss replied.

The Saying Explained: A pet dog depends on its owner
for food and love. If the dog snaps at the owner all the
time, the owner may not want to do much for the dog. The
owner might even want to give the dog away. So be nice to
people who help you or take care of you. Don’t make them
feel bad for no good reason.

The Saying: “I’m too tired to drive any further,” Kento
said to Ethel. “I’m going to stop here and catch forty
winks. Wake me up in fifteen minutes.”

The Saying Explained: To “catch forty winks” is to take
a short nap.

The Saying: “Lance keeps saying that he has too much
homework to try out for the team,” said the coach. “But I

148 More Sayings Explained

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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can read between the lines. He doesn’t think he’s any good
at sports. He’s afraid he won’t make the team.”

The Saying Explained: When you “read between the lines,”
you don’t just accept the exact words someone says. You go
below the surface to find out what the person really means.

The Saying: Ervin began cleaning his room by clearing
things off of his bed and the floor. His mom peeked in and
said, “Well begun is half done. The rest of the room will be
easy to clean!”

The Saying Explained: If you begin something well, it
will be easier to finish.

The Saying: Jordan was afraid to sled down the steep
hill. “It’s not as bad as it looks,” his sister called from
below. Just take the bull by the horns and slide down!”

The Saying Explained: If you were to fight with a bull,
you would have to be brave. The best thing to do would be
to jump in, grab it by its horns, and pull it down. So if you

More Sayings Explained 149

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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“take the bull by the horns,” it means that you take a deep
breath and jump right in to do a very difficult task.

The Saying: The playground was full of children, but
the teacher welcomed more children. “Come on, come
play!” she called out. “The more the merrier.”

The Saying Explained: Some things are more fun to
do when there are lots of people doing it. A person would
say “the more the merrier” when he or she wants to invite
more people to do something.

The Saying: After the big dinner, Mom looked at the
dishes piled in the sink and shook her head. The kids said,
“Never leave till tomorrow what you can do today. It’ll go
fast if we all help you.”

The Saying Explained: The kids are telling Mom,
“Don’t put off doing things that need to be done today.”
They may be thinking of how sad Mom would be in the
morning if she woke up to a sink filled with dirty dishes!

150 More Sayings Explained

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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The Saying: As we sat down to eat in the diner, Dad
said, “We’re all going to order healthy foods. After all, an
apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

The Saying Explained: If we eat healthy foods, such as
apples, we are more likely to stay well and not need to see
a doctor.

The Saying: “I really like the look of those curtains,” said
Jody. “Why don’t you go home and make some like them?”
Norm asked. “That’s easier said than done,” said Jody.

The Saying Explained: It may be easy to say what has to
be done, but not so easy to really do it.

The Saying: “Come on, Heather,” said Ming. “You have
to vote for Burt or Jean to be class leader. You can’t just sit
on the fence.”

The Saying Explained: A person who sits on a fence
is not on one side of the fence or the other. This saying
is used when a person is supposed to pick one thing or

More Sayings Explained 151

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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another, and the person does nothing. This person may not
want to pick either one. Or the person may just not have
made up his or her mind yet.

The Saying: At the book sale, one table had boxes of free
books. “Wow, I really want to read this one,” Gilbert said,
pulling a book out. “But wait—the corner is torn!” “Gilbert,
it’s free!” said Debbie. “Don’t look a gift horse in the
mouth.”

The Saying Explained: When a horse is for sale, people
may check its teeth. You can tell the age of the horse that
way. And you may get a sense of how healthy the horse is.
No one wants to pay a lot of cash for an old or sick horse.
But if someone gives you a horse for free, it would be rude
to check its mouth. You should just take it and be happy
with what you have just gotten for free. So if someone gives
you a gift, don’t complain about it—just be grateful.

152 More Sayings Explained

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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bringing held catch yesterday Sunday
swimming grinned sound sorted gunpowder
corners faithful handle support suppose
short horn weeks about invite
fellow stopped tunnels slowed beasts

Owls have huge eyes and can see very well at night.
Owls are up and about at night, which is rare for birds.
Owls make an eerie sound at night.
Owls, like all birds, have feathers and three toes.
Unlike most other birds, owls have eyes in front of their heads
instead of on the sides.
Most owls make their nests in trees, but the burrowing owl
nests and lays eggs underground.
The short-eared owl makes its nest on the ground.
The screech owl is one of the smallest owls, but it can catch
animals that bigger owls do not try to catch.
The great horned owl gets its name because of the tufts of
feathers that look like horns on the top of its head.
The snowy owl lives up north in snowy places.

Decoding and Sentence Reading C 153

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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The Dormouse

A dormouse is a very small mammal. It looks like a small
mouse with a long bushy tail. This tail is about three inches
long, and so is its body. The dormouse’s fur is soft and
silky. It has a long snout and big, black eyes. The dormouse
got its name because it looks like a mouse (it isn’t) and
because it sleeps a lot, as in “dormant.”

Dormice live in forests. They hunt for food at night.
Dormice feed mostly on seeds, berries, fruits, grains
and nuts. They sleep all day and sometimes sleep even
more! People spend about 1⁄3 of their lives sleeping. The
dormouse spends about 3⁄4 of its life asleep.

You might think that the dormouse gets its name because
it looks like a mouse. And that dor- could mean “door.” But
this is not the case. The dormouse’s name comes from an
old Norman word that means “sleeping.” Its name is related
to the word dormant, which also means “sleeping.”

154 The Dormouse

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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Dormice are well known for their sleepy ways. When
the weather turns colder, the dormouse stores food in its
nest. Then it sleeps through the winter. It may wake up on
warm winter days and eat some of this food.

The Dormouse 155

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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The Dormouse in Alice in Wonderland

I’m a sleepy little creature.
I was born that way, you see.
If you know a girl named Alice,
You know I slept all through tea.
You think, “He’s a bad, bad sport!”
But I’m not the rude, crude sort!
I did so want to have fun.
But when all is said and done,
A dormouse is a dormant creature.
That must be our best-known feature.
If you want a lively tea,
You’d do better without me!

156 The Dormouse in Alice in Wonderland

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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morbid Morris loris forgot begin
masks ways helped world made
happy painted sick well collectors
florist forever order shorter lead
trash popcorn baskets candy eastern

I heard a loud knock on the door.
Long ago, Greek actors wore masks when they acted in plays.
Trash collectors come down the street to collect trash.
We sent Sandy a basket of candy for her birthday.
Children were flying kites that looked like fish or dragons.
People who climb high mountains may get dizzy from the
thin air.
Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world.
The hummingbird’s nest looks like a very small cup.
The hummingbird’s eggs are no bigger than peas.
The sound of chattering squirrels woke me up this morning.

Decoding and Sentence Reading D 157

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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The Loris

The loris is a little animal that lives in the forests of
other countries. The loris belongs to an order of animals
that includes apes and monkeys.

Most lorises are gray or brown and grow to be 8–10
inches long. They have round heads, but their faces have
an odd shape, with three corners. The bottom corner is at
their chin. Next to the top two corners are their big round
eyes. These huge eyes help frighten away predators that
might try to catch a loris.

The loris lives alone most of the time. It is a nocturnal
animal. This means that it hunts at night. The loris feeds
on fruit, insects, young birds, and birds’ eggs. In the
morning, the loris is ready to sleep. It clasps its feet around
the branch of a tree and rolls its body into a ball.

There are two kinds of lorises in Asia: the slender loris
and the slow, or gray, loris. Best known is the slender loris.

158 The Loris

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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It has no tail and is about 8–10 inches long. It moves about
on long, thin legs. The slender loris has short, rounded
ears that are almost completely hidden in its thick, brown,
wooly fur. Its big eyes have a border of black patches.

The slender loris lives in bushes or in the lower
branches of trees. On the ground, the animal walks like a
monkey, but very slowly. When feeding, the slender loris
creeps up on its prey and eats up the entire animal. This
means it eats the horny wings of beetles, as well as the
bones and feathers of birds.

The slow, or gray, loris is about 16 inches long. It has a
very short tail and thick, wooly, silver-gray fur. During the
day, the slow loris sleeps in the fork of a tree. Nearly helpless
on the ground, it rarely comes down from the treetops.

There are many legends about lorises. Because their
huge eyes glow like torches in the night, some people think
they are ghosts up in the trees. Because they may hide their

The Loris 159

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

heads in their hands, some people think that lorises can see
ghosts. Those who sail across the sea might want to take a
slow loris with them. Some people believe that with a slow
loris on board, the wind will stay fresh and keep the ship
sailing swiftly across the sea.

160 The Loris

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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The Loris

I’m a loris,
You can plainly see.
So don’t mistake me
For an ape, a person, or a monkey.
Although I’m slow and roam at night,
Don’t let my glowing, big eyes
Give you a fright,
For I’m not a ghost as some may say.
I prowl slowly at night as I sleep during the day.

The Loris 161

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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morning cuddle record proud unlike
different recall waiting
store advertise story suddenly forest
Jordan seashells horse
around born spice important hundred

pressed canyon

burned lessons

In the morning, the teacher gave a math lesson.
Insects lived on the earth long before there were birds.
Today there are more insects on earth than any other
living thing.
The chimpanzees do funny tricks in the zoo.
The wind blows around the leaves on the porch floor.
Dunes are hills made of wind-blown sand.
Jordan wants to take lessons so he can learn to ride a horse.
The airport is forty miles from the town.
We will visit the Grand Canyon next summer.
When Jess kneeled to look at the insects on the ground, he
hurt his bare knees.

162 Decoding and Sentence Reading E

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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The Ugly Buckling

Early one spring morning, a doe named Molly cuddled
beside a buck named Morton. Molly had just given birth to
two little ones . . . no, wait, three little ones!

“That’s funny,” Molly said sleepily to Morton. “I don’t
remember a third one being born. Do you?”

“There were just two when I went off to get some food
for you,” said Morton. “But there are three now. And the
last one born is a big one, too!”

Molly roused herself and licked the young ones clean
and dry. Strangely, she found that the third one was clean
and dry already. Morton helped her hide all three in the tall
grass under some bushes. The young ones would stay there
for the first weeks of their lives, hidden away from hunters,
with Molly nearby to feed them and to keep danger away.

As time went by, the three became stronger and more
steady on their feet. Molly and Morton were watching
them one day and talking.

The Ugly Buckling 163

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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“It’s odd how our little buck is so much bigger than the
two does. He is at least a head taller,” said Molly. “Look at
the size of his ears. And that nose!”

“He doesn’t take after anyone in my family,” said
Morton, as he shook his head.

“Nor mine!” said Molly. “In fact, he doesn’t look like
any white-tailed deer I’ve ever seen before!”

“And listen to that funny grunting sound he makes,”
Morton added. “You’d think he was a mule deer.”

“Well . . . he’s ours,” said Molly. “And I, for one, am
glad to have him!”

“So am I!” Morton agreed proudly.
More time went by. Molly and Morton couldn’t help
seeing how different Morris was from his twin sisters. His
coat was plain brown, without the white spots that the girls
sported on their backs. The twins loved to romp and play
together. But Morris would go off by himself.

164 The Ugly Buckling

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The rest of the forest animals could see how different
Morris was, too. They teased him.

“Morris, your white spots must be dirty. I can’t see them.”
“Morris, you’re bigger than a mule deer.”
“Morris, you must be eating up the entire forest!”
His sisters were no help. They teased him, too. “Morris,
Morris, there’s more of you than both of us!” they would
shout at him.
Morris would not get mad. He would just shrug his
big shoulders, shake his big head, and lumber off into the
forest. One day, he stopped at the water hole and looked
into the water. He saw a huge ugly beast that didn’t look at
all like its father or mother. He felt sad—and very alone.
Two years went by. The twins were ready to go off on
their own, but not Morris. Big as he was, he wasn’t ready
to leave home. After the twins had left to find mates,
Morris lumbered around, munched on tree leaves, or went
swimming in the river.

The Ugly Buckling 165

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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Morris was neither happy nor unhappy; he just was.
Then, something strange began to happen. The two
bumps on his head began to grow and grow and grow.
They formed two huge, wonderful antlers. One day, Morris
happened to catch sight of himself in the water again. He
was stunned at the change. The big antlers fit with his big
ears and big nose. Why, he looked handsome, if he did say
so himself!
From then on, the animals in the forest treated him
differently. They began calling him Morris the Mighty. It
made Molly and Morton proud to see how special Morris
was. When the twins came with their mates, they no longer
teased their brother.
Morris may have looked powerful and mighty. But he
was still kind and gentle.
One spring morning in the third year of his life, Morris
was drinking from the river when a low grunting sound
made him look up. There, across the river, was the most

166 The Ugly Buckling

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

lovely creature Morris had ever seen. Without thinking, he
began to swim across the water. He wanted to be with her,
more than anything he’d ever wanted before. The lovely
animal watched him. She did not run away.

As Morris came out of the water, something burst forth
from the forest and blocked his path. Morris was stunned.
For a minute, he thought he was staring at himself. Were
his eyes playing tricks on him? This beast looked exactly
like him, but it was full of rage! It bellowed and bucked
Morris with its antlers.

For the first time in his life, Morris was angry. He was
sure, though he didn’t know why, that this beast wanted to
take the lovely animal away from him. Morris could not let
that happen. He bellowed loudly and put his head down to
fight back.

A crowd gathered. They had heard the loud bellowing.
They all cheered for Morris.

The Ugly Bucklin 167

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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“Go, Morris, go! You are so brave! You are the stronger
one! Go, Morris!”

Morris’s family was there to cheer Morris on as well.
“Fight the stranger!” they cried. “This is your forest! He
does not belong here!”

Morris felt stronger than he ever had before. He pushed
back, back, back. Before long, the other beast gave in. “You
are the stronger moose,” it said, panting for breath.

“What?” Morris gasped. “Did you say moose? Am I a
moose?”

The female moose spoke up. “My name is Lorraine. I
think I know who you are. Are you the moose that lives
with a family of white-tailed deer?”

Molly and Morton responded. “Yes!” they said. “We are
his family!”

“I have heard about you,” said Lorraine. She smiled at
Morris. “Your moose-mother was ill. She left you with
these deer before she went off to die.”

168 The Ugly Buckling

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Molly went up to Morris and gave him a nuzzle. “It’s
time for you to leave,” she whispered.

Morton came up and gave Morris a little push. “It’s time
for you to make a family of your own,” he said gently.

Morris the Mighty Moose, as he was now known,
stepped forth with his bride, Lorraine. And he was never
lonely again!

The Ugly Buckling 169

or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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ar (car) army carpenter partner
art march garment
car dart starch discard
bar cart scarf carbon
far tart bark scarlet
tar part dark carcass
jar smart lark harness
par start mark Parker
scar chart park garlic
star party shark target
darling marble spark hardly
yard carve barn harvest
card starve yarn farther
hard artist charter parcel
hardy barber cartoon Martin
tardy market garden Marlene
arm carpet lard alarm
farm carton farmer
charm

170 ar

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

ar (warthog) warn
award
war wardrobe
swarm ward
warm quart
wart quarter
warp forward
warble
warrant

Review Sight Words

the, has, is, a, his, I, was, to, do, said, what, you, who, into, of,
full, pull, push, put, through, your, walk, talk, want, live, give,
have, one, done, some, come, something, someone, where,
there, were, are, somewhere, love, gone, both, climb, clothes,
they, says, today, goes, does, strange, danger, listen, wonder,
could, would, should, castle, whistle, although, dough,
doughnut, though, again, against, other, mother, brother,
cover, father, another, friend, been, people, move, prove,
shoe, truth, fruit, suit, bruise, cruise, whom, whose, wolf,
wolves, sign, any, many, once, heart, sure, sugar, door, floor,
honor, tomorrow, worry, work, color

ar 171

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car artist market shark sharpen
smart darling star curly garlic
sister starfish space park flashes
running shell sniffle lantern party
starve marble florist forty spark

We will have a yard sale next weekend.
Mom had a hard time parking the car next to the curb.
I set the alarm clock to ring at six.
In art class we learn how to paint with watercolors.
We will visit a farm on our next school field trip.
I know my uncle will invite me to his dinner party.
I need to go to the barbershop to get my hair trimmed.
The artist was sketching a landscape.
I broke my arm when I fell off the swing.
Can you hand me that jar of pickles?

172 Decoding and Sentence Reading A

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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Moose in Love: A Real Story

In October 1986, a huge moose stood in a field across
from a Vermont farmhouse. The farmer who owned the
place had never seen a moose on his farm before, so he
called a wildlife officer.

Everyone expected the moose to depart, but it didn’t.
What made it stay? Well, this is the strange part. The moose,
it seemed, had fallen in love with the farmer’s cow, Jessica.

Male moose, known as bulls, don’t normally make
friends with cows, but this was the time of year for bulls
to mate. Now no one could say that Jessica looked like a
charming female moose. She was short, fat, and brown-
and-white. But maybe she was the only female around, or
maybe the bull just couldn’t see very well!

For whatever reason, the moose followed Jessica
everywhere for days. He sniffed her, licked her back,
and rubbed his antlers gently along her sides. He shooed
away the other cows when they came too close.

Moose in Love 173

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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People came to the Vermont farm from all over the
world to see the strange moose. He was called Bullwinkle,
after a well-known cartoon moose. TV teams started
showing up. All in all, over 75,000 people came to see “the
moose who was in love with a cow.” One man down in
Nashville, Tennessee, went so far as to write a song about
Jessica and Bullwinkle.

It turned out that Bullwinkle was around three years old,
the age when a bull moose first mates. He tipped the scales
at some 700 pounds. He kept in shape by helping himself
to food around the farm, eating apples from the trees,
peeling off tree bark, and munching the ends of the fence
posts. But Bullwinkle never ate any of Jessica’s hay.

One day, around the first of the year, Bullwinkle “broke
up” with Jessica. He just took off and never came back. Does
Jessica miss him? Does she look up at the stars at night and
wonder where her darling Bullwinkle is? We’ll never know!

174 Moose in Love

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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scarf cartoon Saturday morning warbler
charm looked princess
circle army warn warm stood
found down window
softly outside velvet stretch dark

jester plain

forehead chain

The warbler is a songbird with a short, thin bill.
The princess was lying in bed, but she was wide awake and
looking out the window at the moon.
The teacher gave Milton his last warning.
I started to giggle when I saw the funny cartoon.
Annie lost her gold charm bracelet.
If you are so smart, see if you can solve the puzzle.
Will you hang this chart on the wall, please?
The spring weather will soon be warm.
The crow gathered pebbles one by one and dropped them
into the pitcher until the water rose to the top.
I picked up the green scarf and tied it around my neck.

Decoding and Sentence Reading B 175

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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The Armadillo

The armadillo is a small mammal found in North and
South America. Its body is covered with small hard plates
made of bone. These plates, in turn, are covered with a
layer of horny skin. This makes the armadillo look as if
it were wearing armor. And that it how it got its name,
which comes from a Spanish word that means “little
armored one.”

The armadillo’s main armor is formed in two large parts
called shields. One shield covers the shoulders and front
legs. The other covers the end part of the animal, along
with its back legs. In between are a number of bands that
allow the animal to move and flex its body a bit. In fact,
one kind of armadillo found in South America, the three-
banded armadillo, can curl itself up into a ball. The head
is also armored, and in most armadillos, the tail is covered
with rings of bone as well.

176 The Armadillo

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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The only armadillo found in the U.S. is the nine-banded
armadillo. It is about the size of a large cat or small dog.
It lives mostly in the southern U.S., although it is slowly
making its way up north. These armadillos are often found
around water holes and streams, but they stay away from
marshy land, where the ground is too wet. They need firm
ground that they can dig down into.

Armadillos live in underground dens, mainly along creek
banks, that are perhaps 2–3 feet below ground. Nine-banded
armadillos have an interesting way of crossing water. They
normally sit low in the water and are easily tired when
forced to swim for too long. Instead, they take in enough
air to inflate their insides and then hold their breath—for
a long time. Then they can float high in the water as they
paddle along much more easily.

Because armadillos do not have a thick coat of hair like
other mammals, they have to be careful in the heat and cold.

The Armadillo 177

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

When it’s summer, armadillos are most active in the cool
of the evening and at night. When it’s winter, they change
their habits, becoming active during the warmest part of
the day, normally mid-afternoon.

Armadillos feed on many different kinds of foods, and
many stories have been told about what they eat. Most
people seem to think that they mostly eat birds’ eggs.
And then there are tales of armadillos digging into graves.
Armadillos may be good diggers, but they do not dig up
graves! And birds’ eggs, in fact, form a very small part
of what they eat. Most of their food consists of insects,
worms, and crayfish.

One of the strangest things about armadillos is how they
act when they are alarmed. A frightened armadillo may leap
up to three feet into the air. The sudden jump may startle
an enemy into running away. But in most cases, it is the
armadillo that runs away, fleeing into an underground hole.

178 The Armadillo

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

It can also pull in its legs and wedge its armor firmly in the
ground. This keeps some of its enemies from harming the
armadillo.

The armadillo’s habit of jumping up when alarmed has
not helped the armadillo in one important way. You will
often see dead armadillos along the road. If an armadillo
is crossing the road and a car comes zooming along, the
startled armadillo jumps up as the car drives overhead. It
crashes into the bottom of the car and is killed outright or
stunned and run over by another car.

Another strange thing about nine-banded armadillos is
what happens when they give birth. This armadillo mates
in the summer. It takes about 120 days for the young to
be born. They will be born with leathery skin that begins
to harden in a couple of days. But here is the odd thing: If
everything goes well, there will be four little armadillos,
and they will all be exactly the same—every time! They will

The Armadillo 179

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

be four brothers who all look the same or four sisters who
all look the same.

Texas has made the nine-banded armadillo its state
mascot. There are armadillo festivals in Texas every year.
If you go, you can get yourself an armadillo T-shirt or an
armadillo poster. You, too, can become a fan of these “little
armored ones.”

180 The Armadillo

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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artist shark warble quarter rocky
marmot always twenty
sleeping woodchuck family exit sunrise
winter necktie subject
Dennis place entrance smart army

track carpenter

trumpet starve

I will start dinner at quarter to five.
The old gun hanging above the fireplace is from the Civil War.
Sometimes Jordan forgets to do his chores after school.
A spouse is a husband or wife.
The carpenter hammered in nails to keep the boards in place.
Carmen watched her brother skate around the parking lot
beside the playground.
The gentleman ate oatmeal for breakfast every day while
he stayed at the inn.
The Maine tennis team has a lobster as its mascot.
You will get a first-prize ribbon if you win the tennis match.
I like to read the cartoons about Garfield, the cat, and his
owner, Jon.

Decoding and Sentence Reading C 181

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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Marmots

The marmot is the largest member of the squirrel
family. It is heavy-set, which means it has a large, chunky
body. All marmots are great diggers and always live in
underground burrows.

Some kinds of marmots may dig a burrow near where
they feed. All the burrow members use the same trail from
their home to their feeding grounds.

Marmots do not go out when it is dark. This means that
a marmot is never seen before sunrise and is always back in
its burrow by sundown.

When it first comes out of its burrow, a marmot does
not go far. It stays nearby to warm itself in the sun and
to groom its fur. Then it goes to its feeding grounds.
Marmots feed on grasses, marsh plants, and roots. They
don’t have cheek pouches for carrying food back to the
burrow, so they just eat until they are full. Feeding lasts

182 Marmots

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

for about two hours, after which the animals again groom
and sun themselves. Then it is time to eat again. They feed
again two to three hours before sundown. At last they go
underground to sleep for the night.

Marmots live where the summers are short and spend
eight or nine months each year underground, in a deep
sleep called hibernation. In the fall, they get ready for
their long winter sleep. They eat lots of food to add a
thick layer of fat to their bodies. This fat layer keeps their
bodies warm and healthy during hibernation. To prepare
for hibernation, marmots also do some house-cleaning and
change the grass in the sleeping part of their burrows.

In October, they begin hibernation. A marmot will curl
up into a ball, its head tucked between its legs, its arms
folded around its neck, and go to sleep. Breathing slows,
and its body becomes colder, between 43°F and 57°F. The
animal goes into a deep sleep in which it can neither feel

Marmots 183

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

nor hear. To make it wake up, you would have to place it in
a very warm place for several hours.

When their long winter sleep is done, marmots do
another round of housework, putting clean grass in their
nesting places. Now they are ready to look for a mate.

After marmots mate, it takes at least a month for young
marmots to be born. There are two to five in a litter, born
in early June. At birth, marmots are blind and have no hair
until they are four weeks old. The little marmots first come
out of their burrows in the middle of July. They stay with
their parents until the following spring. The young don’t
reach full size until they are two years old and don’t mate
until they are three.

There are 8 different kinds of marmots. Some kinds live
in North America.

One North American marmot is known as a woodchuck.
It is also called the groundhog. The woodchuck is found all

184 Marmots

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

across Canada, north to Alaska, and in the eastern United
States. The woodchuck has a chubby body that is about
two feet long, including its tail. It has short legs, short
ears and a flattened head. Its fur is moderately long and
coarse. The woodchuck is about two feet long with its tail.
Its fur is grayish-brown on the upper parts of its body, and
yellowish-orange or tan on the under parts. Its face, head,
legs and tail range from dark brown to black.

Woodchucks live in several underground burrows that
they dig themselves. A woodchuck may dig one burrow
near where it feeds, so it has a place to escape to. When a
woodchuck looks for food, it first sits up on its hind legs at
the entrance to its burrow. There, it looks and listens for
any signs of danger. This habit makes the woodchuck an
easy target for hunters. Another woodchuck burrow is for
hibernating in winter. This burrow, which has only one
entrance, must be below the frost line, the part of the earth

Marmots 185

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

that freezes in winter. A third burrow that a woodchuck digs
is one it uses for the rest of the year. This is a fancy burrow
where the woodchuck may raise a family. It contains several
compartments and may have several entrances.

Another kind of marmot found in North America is the
whistler marmot. This marmot is found in the northwest,
in the highest part of the mountains where no trees grow.
It is also called the Rocky Mountain marmot. Full-grown, it
is about 7 inches high at the shoulder, and 30 inches from
end to end. It may tip the scales at 20 pounds. The whistler
marmot has a thick, reddish-brown coat that’s “frosted” with
white-tipped hairs. It gets the name “whistler” from the
fact that it gives a sharp whistle to warn others that there is
danger around.

There are many tales told about marmots. One old
belief has been around for more than 2,000 years. As you
have read, marmots use grass to line their sleeping and

186 Marmots

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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nesting places in their burrows. According to the tale, some
marmots get this grass to the burrow in a very strange way.
One marmot lies on its back and acts like a hay cart. The
other marmot loads grass onto the “cart” and then pulls
it along by its tail. People swear they have seen this for
themselves. But those who study marmots for a living have
not found any proof that this is so.

Marmots 187

ar, or, oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai,

oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy