Course Glossary

A

abdomen:
the last of the three parts of an insect's body

Abenaki:
(ah´-buh-nah-kee) Aboriginal people who originally lived in the United States in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine
When European colonists came to this area, many Abenaki came to Canada and settled in Quebec, along the St. Lawrence River.

abstract:
having to do with a style of art that tries to express ideas or feelings by showing qualities of real things instead of the real things themselves
Abstract art is not an accurate representation of a form or object.

acid rain:
rain or snow that is polluted by acids formed in the air after waste chemicals are released into the air by factories, cars, and power plants

acre:
a non-metric unit used to measure land area
An acre is equal to about 0.4 hectares.

adapted:
suited to live in a certain habitat

adjective:
a word that describes a noun (person, place, or thing)

adobe:
1 brick made from earth and straw and dried in the sun 2 a building made of adobe bricks

Aesop:
a Greek writer who wrote fables

alphabetical order:
in the same order as the alphabet

amphibian:
an animal that lives both in water and on land

amplify:
to make louder

ancestor:
a person of the past that another is directly descended from, especially somebody more distant than a grandparent
Your great-grandparents are your ancestors.

anchored:
fixed firmly in place

antonym:
a word that means the opposite of another word
Hot is an antonym of cold.

apostrophe:
a punctuation mark (')
An apostrophe has two main uses:

arch:
a curved structure that forms the top of a doorway, window, bridge, or tunnel

archaeologist:
a person who studies the life and customs of ancient times by digging up and examining the buried remains of cities, homes, monuments, and so on

architect:
a person who designs buildings

asking sentence:
a sentence that asks a question
It ends in a question mark.

autobiography:
the story of a person's life written by himself or herself

B

background:
the back part of a picture or the part of a picture that looks furthest away from the person looking at it

baffles:
(technology) a tool used to control the flow of something and reduce its force

bamboo:
a treelike tropical grass with a stiff, hollow, woody stem that has hard, thick joints

baptize:
to dip under water or sprinkle with water, usually as a sign of spiritual cleansing and of joining or being accepted as part of a religious community

base word:
the main or important part of a word
It is the word to which an ending or suffix is added.

batik:
the art of making designs on cloth by dyeing only part at a time, protecting the rest with a coating of melted wax, which is later removed

beam:
a large, long piece of wood, concrete, or steel used to support buildings or bridges

bibliography:
a list of the resources, such as books, articles, or websites, that were used for a report or other project
A bibliography is placed on a separate page at the end of the project.

biography:
the written story of a person's life

body:
the part of a letter that contains the message

bold:
letters that stand out because they are dark with heavy lines

bolt:
a roll of cloth

bongo drums:
a pair of small, connected drums, one slightly larger than the other, that are played with the hands
Bongos are often held between the knees.

boomerang:
a curved, flat piece of wood used as a weapon by the native people of Australia
One type of boomerang can be thrown so that it will return to the thrower if it misses its target.

brace:
something that holds parts in place; a support

brackets:
punctuation marks, such as ( ), [ ], or { }, used around words or numbers to separate them from other text

Braille:
a system of writing and printing for blind people
The letters in Braille are made of raised dots that you read by feeling them with your fingertips.

brainstorm:
to think of as many different things as you can about a subject

buckskin:
a kind of strong, soft, yellowish leather made from the skins of deer or sheep

buckwheat:
a plant with brown, three-sided seeds and white flowers
The seeds are fed to animals or ground into flour. Bees make honey from the nectar of the flowers.

bylaws:
community laws or rules regarding such things as noise, animal control, and other community matters

C

cable:
a long, thick rope usually made of wires twisted together

calico:
a coarse cotton cloth with a bright print pattern

camouflage:
an outward appearance that makes a person, animal, or thing blend in with its surroundings to keep it from being noticed

caption:
the explanation for a picture or cartoon

carbonate:
(v) to add carbon dioxide to produce bubbles and fizz

carbonates:
(n) minerals that contain a salt or a natural compound of carbonic acid

career:
an occupation or profession

carnivore:
an animal that eats mainly meat

cartoon:
a drawing showing people, things, or events in a light-hearted or funny way

cartoon strip:
a series of cartoons that together tell one joke or story

cassava:
a large, thick-skinned tuber like a potato
The root of the cassava plant is boiled and eaten in many tropical countries. It is the source of tapioca.

cause:
a person, thing, or event that makes something else happen

cave:
a hollow space underground

cavern:
a large cave

celebrate:
to show that something is special by having a ceremony, a feast, or a festival

century:
a period of 100 years

change:
to make or become different

chant:
a phrase or group of words spoken over and over to a steady beat

chapter:
a main division of a book

character sketch:
a piece of writing that tells about the personality or character traits of a character in a story

characteristic:
a special quality or feature

characteristics:
special features or attributes that make a person, animal, or thing different from another

characters:
the people, animals, or animated objects in a story

chickpea:
a vegetable like a green pea but bigger and light yellow
Chickpeas grow in pods on a plant that originally came from Asia.

chorus:
the part of a song that repeats after each verse

churn:
a container for turning cream into butter by beating or shaking

cinquain:
a poem or verse of poetry that has five lines

citizen:
a member of a nation or state, with certain rights and responsibilities
A person can be a citizen of a country by birth or become one by going through certain procedures.

civil war:
war between the citizens or people within a country

clay:
a sticky kind of earth that can be easily shaped when wet and that hardens when dried or baked
Bricks and some dishes are made from various kinds of clay.

cleavage:
the splitting of minerals or rocks along natural planes of weakness

closed captions:
words printed at the bottom of the screen to tell the words being said during a movie or television show
Sometimes, instead of closed captions, there is a video running at the bottom of the screen with a person signing what is being said.

closing:
the last or last few sentences in a story (Module 2)
the ending of a letter followed by a comma (Module 3)

clue:
something that helps to solve a mystery or problem

cochlea:
the snail-shaped tube filled with fluid in the inner ear
The cochlea is where sound vibrations are converted to nerve impulses to be sent to the brain.

collage:
a picture or design made by arranging and pasting different items on a background
The items are selected and arranged in a meaningful and related way.

colony:
a group of animals or plants of one kind living together in a large group

column:
a slender, upright structure; pillar

comet:
a bright body in space with a head that is a frozen ball of ice, dust, and rock
As it travels through space, the head leaves a trail of particles called the tail of the comet.

comma:
a punctuation mark (,) usually used where a pause would be made when saying a sentence
A comma is also used to separate the day of the month from the year when writing the date, between the town or city and the province when writing an address, and after the greeting and closing of a letter.

commanding sentence:
a sentence that makes a request or gives an order
It ends in a period or exclamation mark.

commentary:
an essay or set of comments or remarks about a topic

common noun:
a word that names an ordinary or all-purpose object, person, or place
The word girl is a common noun.

communicate:
to exchange information by talking, writing, gesturing, etc., or to send and receive messages

community:
a group of people that have in common such things as culture, language, values, beliefs, interests, practices and ways of life, history, and/or a geographically defined shared space

compound word:
a word formed by combining two or more words

conclusion:
sums up some aspect of the experience or situation in a story

concrete poem:
a poem arranged in the form of a picture

conductor:
anything that transmits heat, sound, or electricity

coniferous:
trees that have cones and needles and that stay green all year

conserve:
use and manage something carefully so that it will not be wasted or wrecked

consonant blend:
two or more consonants together, but each sound is heard
Grass and cry are words with r-blends.

consonant digraph:
two consonants that together represent one sound
Ch is a consonant digraph in the word chest.

context:
the whole text (words and sentences) surrounding a word
Knowing the context makes a word or idea easier to understand.

continents:
the large bodies of land on Earth

contraction:
two words that are combined, leaving out one or more letters
An apostrophe shows where letters are missing. For example, didn't is the contraction for did not.

coral:
a tiny animal found in all of the oceans of the world
Most corals consist of many small polyps living together.

coral reef:
a ridge under the surface of the ocean made from a buildup of the hard limestone skeletons of coral polyps

cornea:
the transparent outside coating on the front of the eyeball
The cornea covers the iris and the pupil.

country:
the land belonging to a group of people united under the same government

Cree:
a large First Nation group spread across Canada and sharing language and customs

crescent:
a curved shape like that of the moon when it is less than half illuminated

crop:
clip or cut

crustacean:
an animal that has a hard shell, five pairs of legs, and lives mostly in water
Crabs, lobsters, and shrimp are crustaceans.

crystal:
one of the regularly shaped pieces (with angles and flat surfaces) that make up many solid substances

culture:
way of life; the customs, values, traditions, and beliefs of a nation or people

curry:
food cooked with a spicy sauce or powder
Curry powder is made from a blend of spices.

cursive writing:
writing where the letters are joined together in a smooth, flowing way; handwriting

D

deaf:
not able to hear

decibel:
a unit for measuring the loudness of a sound
The decibel measures the loudness of a sound by measuring the force with which sound pushes the air.

deciduous:
trees that grow leaves in the spring and lose leaves in the fall

decoration:
the addition of ornaments to make something more attractive

dedication:
the message written to or about someone at the beginning of a book or other piece of work

democracy:
a system of government where the people choose their own leaders
All citizens have an equal right to vote for a representative.

democratic:
when decisions are made by following the majority vote; that is, doing what most of the people want

describe:
tell what a person, place, thing, or event is like; give details that help others imagine what you are talking or writing about

design:
make a first sketch or outline; figure out how a thing will work or what it will look like

designed:
the way something is built, styled, or laid out

detail:
a small or particular fact

detective:
a person who works to find out things that others are trying to keep secret

device:
a tool or machine

diagram:
a drawing meant to explain something
It can be a drawing of a thing showing all the parts and how they work.

dialect:
a form of a language that is spoken in a certain place
For example, although people in Australia speak English, it sounds different from Canadian English. Some words may also be different.

dialogue:
the actual words that people or characters in a play or story say

diamond:
a clear precious stone formed from pure carbon crystals
Diamond is the hardest substance known.

didgeridoo:
an Australian Aboriginal musical instrument consisting of a long, thick, wooden pipe that the player blows into, creating a deep, reverberating, humming sound

diphthong:
two letters blended together to make one vowel sound, such as oi in noise or ou in out

disaster:
an event that causes much suffering or loss
Floods, fires, and wars are some examples of disasters.

divided highway:
a highway with a space between the opposing lanes to increase safety

djellabah:
a long, loose-fitting robe with long sleeves, worn especially in North African countries

dock:
a platform built on the shore or out from shore, where boats can come alongside for loading and unloading or to be tied up or anchored

dome:
a large, rounded roof

domestic animals:
tame animals; animals that are not wild
Many domestic animals are kept for a specific use. Domestic animals include farm and ranch animals. Domestic animals may be kept for meat, wool or fibre, milk, eggs, or work.

drawbridge:
a bridge with a section or sections that can be raised and lowered

drought:
a long period with no rain or very little rain

drumhead:
a cover stretched tightly over a hollow space, creating the flat part of a drum
The drumhead is struck with the hands or a drumstick to create the sound.

E

eclipse:
a darkening of the sun or moon
An eclipse of the sun happens when the moon passes between Earth and the sun. An eclipse of the moon happens when Earth passes between the sun and the moon, leaving the moon in shadow.

editing:
improving the style, correcting errors, checking facts, and so on.

effect:
a result; something that is caused by something else

elect:
to choose a person by voting

election:
a system where the people of a country, club, or organization vote for representatives to form a government or other governing group

element:
one of the simple substances making up the whole universe
An element cannot be broken down into other different substances.

emphasize:
call attention to; give special importance to

endangered species:
an animal close to extinction
Scientists put these animals on an endangered species list.

energy:
a force that moves objects
Heat is one form of energy.

engineer:
a person who uses science to design roads, bridges, buildings, dams, machines, or many other kinds of useful things

entry:
a word or group of words entered or written into a notebook, journal, or diary
Dictionary definitions and encyclopedia articles are also referred to as entries. So is a piece of information keyed into a computer file.

environment:
all the surrounding conditions that affect the growth and development of living things; the earth, air, and water as the home of living things

equator:
an imaginary circle around the middle of the Earth halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole
Canada is north of the equator.

era:
an age in history or geology

eroded:
worn away by wind, water, or vehicles

erosion:
the wearing down or breaking down of a substance

erupt:
burst forth
When a volcano erupts, hot ash, lava, and smoke burst out of the volcano.

essay:
an organized piece of writing telling what the author has found out and what the author thinks about a subject

Europe:
the western part of the land mass of Eurasia, with the dividing line between Europe and Asia being the Ural Mountains

exaggerate:
make something out to be more than it really is; go beyond the truth

exchange:
trade for something else

exclaim:
to speak suddenly and with strong feeling, sometimes in a louder or higher voice than usual

exclaiming sentence:
a sentence that shows strong feelings, such as surprise, fear, anger, or excitement
It ends in a period or exclamation mark.

exclamation mark:
a punctuation mark (!) used to end a sentence that shows surprise or strong feelings

exoskeleton:
the external hard covering that protects the soft inner body of insects and crustaceans

exquisite:
excellent, superb

export:
to send goods to another country for sale

extinct:
no longer existing

extra-terrestrial:
an alien; a being from beyond Earth

F

fable:
a story made up to teach a lesson
Fables are often about animals who can talk and behave like humans.

fact:
something known to be true or real

fair:
following the same rules

fairy tale:
a story with fairies or other supernatural beings and events

famine:
an extreme lack of food

feature:
a special part or quality; something that stands out and attracts attention

fertile:
good for growing

fiction:
based on made-up or imaginary events and people

finishing story:
in Inuit culture, the last story in a series of three
The finishing story is short.

font:
a set of letters or numbers designed in the same style of type

foreground:
the part of a picture that looks nearest to the person looking at it; the front part of a picture

fort:
a strong building or a place surrounded by strong walls for defence; in the early days of Canada, a trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company

fossil:
the remains of an animal or plant preserved in sand or mud and gradually turned to stone

foster:
giving or receiving a home and parental care and upbringing by someone who is not a parent by blood or adoption, usually for a short time

freedom:
not being under the control of some other person or thing

frontier:
the edge of settled country, where the wild or unknown part begins

future:
the time to come; what is going to happen

future tense:
the form of a verb showing an action will happen in the future

G

galleon:
a large Spanish sailing ship used from the 1400s to the 1700s
It had several decks.

galley:
the kitchen of a ship or plane

galore:
lots and lots of different kinds; plenty

gas:
vapour; any substance that is not a solid or liquid, but is like air in form
Air is made up of gases.

geography:
the surface features of a particular place

geologist:
a scientist who studies the Earth's crust, the rocks and minerals that make up its different layers, and their history

global citizenship:
responsibility toward humanity throughout the whole world

goal:
something you are aiming for or working towards

goods:
things that can be owned, bought, or sold

graft:
to take a shoot from one plant and stick it in a slit in another plant to grow there
A shoot from a good apple tree may be grafted to a poor apple tree to improve the fruit.

green thumb:
describes someone who is good at growing things

greeting:
the part of a letter that addresses the person being written to

guide words:
two words at the top of a dictionary page that tell you the first and last word on the page

H

habitat:
the place where an animal or plant naturally lives or grows

hare:
an animal like a rabbit but larger and with longer ears and hind legs

heading:
the writer's address and the date at the top of a letter (Module 3)
a title, especially of a list, column, or section of text (Module 4)

hearing impaired:
not able to hear well or not able to hear at all

hectare:
a metric unit used to measure land area
A hectare is equal to ten thousand square metres.

helm:
the handle or wheel used to steer a ship

herbivore:
an animal that eats plants

hertz:
a unit for measuring how often something happens in a second
In the case of sound, it measures how many sound waves occur in a second.

hibernate:
to spend time in a sleep-like state, as some snakes, bats, groundhogs, and other wild animals do

hieroglyphics:
a system of writing that uses pictures to stand for ideas or sounds, especially the system used by the ancient Egyptians

hinge:
a joint that a door or lid is attached by so that it can move back and forth

historical fiction:
a story based on known facts about a certain period of time, but the characters or events may be fictional

hoarder:
a person who saves and stores things away

homographs:
words that are spelled the same but have different origins and different meanings

homonyms:
words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings

horizon:
the line where the earth or sea and the sky meet

hull:
the main body of a ship or plane

humour:
a funny quality

humus:
a dark brown or black soil formed from dead leaves and other decayed plant matter
It is very rich in nutrients for plants.

hurricane:
a tropical storm with a violent wind and, usually, very heavy rain

hydropower:
electric power that comes from fast-flowing or falling water
The full name is hydro-electric power or hydro-electricity.

I

igloo:
an Inuit house, especially one shaped like a dome and built of blocks of hard snow

illustrator:
the person who creates the pictures for books and stories

image:
1 a picture in the mind 2 a description in words that creates a vivid picture in your mind
The use of images is called imagery.

imitate:
try to be like or act like; copy

import:
to bring goods in from another country

indigenous people:
the original inhabitants of a country

industrialize:
to develop a lot of large industries in a place, especially manufacturing industries

industry:
the business of manufacturing or making things

infer:
form an opinion by noticing something and drawing a logical conclusion
For example, seeing a wedding band on someone's finger would lead one to infer the person is married.

ingredients:
one of the parts of a mixture
Flour is an ingredient of a cake.

inorganic:
not having the structure of plants and animals; not made of living matter
Rocks and minerals are inorganic.

inquiry:
an investigation to find information to answer a question

insulation:
material that keeps heat, cold, or sound in or out

intermediate:
being or coming in between; midway or mid-level

interview:
a meeting of people where one person asks questions to get information about a topic

intruder:
someone who goes somewhere he or she is not invited

Inuit:
one of the indigenous peoples living mainly in the arctic regions of Canada
They are one of the original cultures of the Arctic. The word Inuit means "the people."

inuksugaq or inukshuk (pronounced ee-nook-shook):
a stone sculpture shaped like a person, built to mark a spot or to help the Inuit find their way on the tundra

invent:
to make something for the first time; think up something new

invertebrate:
animals without a backbone
Some animals without backbones are insects, shellfish, and octopuses.

iris:
the coloured part around the pupil of your eye

irrigate:
to bring water to an area of land using ditches, pipes, and sprinklers

italics:
a type of lettering or type where the letters all slant to the right (italics)

J

jealous:
1 afraid that someone you love may prefer someone else 2 envious; bitter towards someone because you wish you had what that person has

K

kaross:
a blanket made of animal skins used in southern Africa as a cape or mattress

kayak:
originally an Inuit boat made of skins stretched over a light frame of wood or bone
There is an opening for one or two people.

keel:
the main supporting piece of wood or steel that runs along the bottom of a ship or boat

keyword:
a very important or meaningful word

krama:
a rectangular piece of cloth made from cotton
It is worn tied around the waist or draped over the shoulder.

L

larva:
the wormlike or caterpillar stage of an insect's development
The plural form is larvae.

larynx:
the part of the throat containing the vocal cords
The larynx is also called the voice box. Sound is created in the larynx when the vocal cords vibrate.

lava:
1 hot melted rock flowing from a volcano 2 the rock formed when this cools and hardens
Some lavas are hard and glassy, while others are light and porous.

law:
a rule made by a government

legend:
1 in reference to a map or chart, pictures or symbols that stand for certain information (Module 1)
2 a very old story that may be partly based on fact (Module 3)

lemming:
a small animal with greyish or brownish fur and furry feet
Lemmings are related to mice and live in the Arctic.

lens:
the part of the eye that directs light rays onto the retina

life cycle:
the stages that a living thing goes through from birth to adulthood

linger:
go slowly, as if not wanting to leave

liquid:
a substance that is not a solid or a gas; a substance that flows freely like water

littering:
throwing garbage in places where it does not belong

livestock:
farm animals, such as cows, horses, sheep, and pigs

lizard:
a reptile with a long body, long tail, movable eyelids, and, usually, four legs
Iguanas and chameleons are lizards.

longhouse:
a long, one-room dwelling of certain First Nations peoples, especially the Iroquois, in which several families of a community lived together

lotus:
a water lily native to Asia and Australia with large leaves and fragrant, pink flowers

M

magma:
the very hot molten rock below the Earth's crust
Lava and volcanic rocks are formed from magma that has reached the surface.

magnetic:
able to be attracted by a magnet

main character:
the most important person, animal, or animated object in a story.

main idea:
the most important thought or point

maize:
a cereal that was developed by First Nations people in the Americas
In Canada, the United States, and Australia, it is now called corn.

majesty:
1. greatness, beauty, and dignity all rolled into one
2. a title for a queen or king

mango:
a sweet, juicy, oval-shaped fruit that has a thick, greenish peel and is orange-yellow inside
It grows on a tropical evergreen tree.

map:
a drawing that represents Earth's surface or part of it

map compass:
a drawing that shows the directions on a map

mass:
the amount of matter something contains
On Earth, the weight of a thing due to gravity is the same as its mass.

mast:
a long pole of wood or steel set upright on a ship to support the sails and ropes

Maya:
one of an ancient people who lived in Central America and Mexico
The Mayans had a high degree of civilization from AD 350 to about AD 800, long before the Spanish came.

mayor:
the person elected to head the government of a city or town

megaphone:
a large horn used to make the voice sound louder

metal:
a substance that is usually hard and shiny when solid

metallic:
like a metal; hard and shiny like a metal

metamorphosis:
the change in form that certain creatures go through as they develop into adults

meteor:
a rock from outer space that comes speeding through the Earth's air
Meteors get so hot doing this that they leave a trail of light in the night sky called a "shooting star." Most burn up without reaching the Earth; the few that land are called meteorites.

middle ground:
the area in a picture between the foreground and the background

mineral:
a valuable substance that people dig out of the Earth
A mineral is a natural substance that is made up of crystals and is neither plant nor animal.

moccasins:
a style of soft shoe with the sides and bottom made from one piece of leather
Moccasins are the traditional footwear of many First Nations and Native American peoples.

model:
a small but detailed version of something

molecules:
the smallest particles into which a substance can be divided without a chemical change
Molecules are the tiny particles that make up liquids, solids, and gases.

mood:
the feeling you have as you read a story

moral:
the lesson contained in a story or an event

multiple-choice question:
a type of question in which the respondent or student must chose the correct answer out of several possible answers
Multiple means many.

mural:
a large picture that covers most of a wall
It may be painted directly on the wall or hung in a frame.

music:
1 sounds put together in beautiful or interesting arrangements, especially the sounds of singing voices or instruments 2 an arrangement of tones written down using notes and other symbols

musical scale:
a set of tones going up or down in pitch according to a certain pattern

muskeg:
an area of bog or soft, wet, spongy ground make up of decaying plants, especially mosses
There are vast regions of muskeg in northern Alberta.

mystery:
1 a secret; something that is hidden or unknown 2 a story about strange or secret events

N

narrator:
the character who tells or helps tell the story in a play, novel, story, or film

natural resources:
materials and energy that are supplied by nature and are useful or necessary to people

negative space:
the space around an object, especially in a drawing, painting, or photograph

nerve:
a fibre or bundle of fibres connecting the brain or the spinal cord with the eyes, ears, muscles, glands, and so on
It is through the nerves that the brain controls our movements and makes use of our five senses.

non-fiction:
based on real events and people

North America:
the continent that contains Canada, the United States, Mexico, Greenland, the countries of Central America, and the island countries of the Caribbean

noun:
a word that names a person, place, thing, quality, or event

novel:
a long piece of fiction that usually contains several chapters

O

observatory:
a building, station, or man-made satellite used for watching objects in space, the weather, or earthquakes

observe:
to watch or look at something to find out about it

oceans:
the largest bodies of water on Earth

okra:
a tall, plant with sticky seed pods that are used as a vegetable and as a thickener for soups

opening sentence:
the first sentence in a story

opinion:
what a person thinks about something

optic nerve:
the nerve that carries impulses from the eye to the brain

oral:
spoken

organic:
having to do with or obtained from plants or animals rather than chemicals
Organic farming uses only organic fertilizers and no chemical pesticides.

organize:
arrange things in a system to get ready to do what is required

outline:
a brief plan showing how the main ideas, supporting ideas, and details are arranged
An outline is written in a special form.

P

P.S.:
stands for "postscript," a note written at the end of a letter or other piece of writing

paleontologist:
a scientist who studies prehistoric plants and animals through fossils, hardened shapes left in rocks

pantomime:
the use of gestures and facial expression without words, especially as an art performed by an actor
Pantomime is usually performed in an exaggerated style. It is also referred to as mime.

papaya:
a large, juicy tropical fruit with a yellow-green rind
The inside is orange-yellow.

paragraph:
a group of sentences all having to do with the same idea
A paragraph begins on a new line and is usually indented. Sometimes a space separates it from the paragraph before it.

past:
events that happened before now

past tense:
the form of a verb showing an action happened in the past

pasta:
food, such as spaghetti, macaroni, and ravioli, made from a mixture of flour and water

percussion:
the striking of one thing against another
Percussion instruments are hit, shaken, or rubbed together to produce a sound.

period:
a smaller period of time than an era
An era may be divided into a number of named periods. For example, the Mesozoic era includes the Cretaceous period.

permafrost:
ground that is permanently frozen
Sometimes it partly thaws in summer and allows some plants to grow but not trees.

pest:
any animal or person that causes trouble or ruins things; a nuisance
Insect pests may destroy a crop.

phrase:
a group of words that go together in a sentence
In the sentence "She is in the house," in the house is a phrase.

pillar:
a slender, upright structure of stone, wood, or metal used to support or ornament a large building

pioneer:
a person who starts a new settlement or community

pitch:
the highness or lowness of a sound
A flute has a higher pitch than a tuba. Pitch depends on the frequency of sound waves.

plantation:
a huge farm growing one main crop for sale; a cotton plantation

plot:
the main ideas, themes, and action or events of a story

plural noun:
a noun that names more than one person, place, or thing

point of view:
the position you or another person sees something from; a way of thinking about something
Different people have different ways of looking at a problem. They may take different positions on an issue.

pollution:
the dirtying of the environment with things that are harmful to people, animals, or plants

polyps:
a small water animal with a tube-like body and tentacles around its mouth to gather food
Polyps often live in colonies and are connected. Coral is made up of polyps.

population:
the people of a city, country, or district or the number of people in a place

porcelain:
a hard ceramic material that allows some light through and is used for making plates, cups, and figurines (often used before a noun; for example, porcelain plates)

possession:
ownership or the act of owning something

pound:
a unit of money in some countries

pourquoi tale:
a story that explains why things in nature exist or how things came to be

prairie:
1 a large area of flat land with grass but few or no trees 2 the Prairies: the great, almost treeless plain that covers much of central and southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta

prefix:
a word part added to the beginning of a base word to change its meaning or to make a new word

prehistoric:
having to do with times before history was written down
Fossils give us information about prehistoric people and animals.

present:
events that are happening now

present tense:
the form of a verb showing an action happens now, in the present

principal highway:
the main highway or most important highway

proboscis:
a mouth part of some insects that allows them to suck nectar or other liquids for food

procedure:
a method; a set of steps to follow for doing something

profile:
a short biography or report about a person

pronoun:
a word that is used to refer to the noun without naming it
In the sentence "Abigail smiled because she was happy," the pronoun she refers to Abigail without repeating her name.

pronounce:
make the sound of; say

proofread:
read carefully to find and correct any mistakes

prop:
any object used in a play, movie, or TV scene
This word is short for stage property.

proper noun:
the name of a specific person, place, or thing
The word Abigail names a particular girl and is a proper noun. Proper nouns begin with a capital letter.

prospector:
a person who searches for valuable minerals, such as gold

ptarmigan:
a grouse with feathered feet
It is found in mountainous and cold regions. Its feathers are mainly brown in summer and mainly white in winter.

public transportation:
the forms of transportation that people in a community share
Some examples are trains, buses, and ferries.

publish:
prepare, print, and sell a book, newspaper, map, or piece of music
The person or company that does this is the publisher.

punctuation marks:
symbols, like periods and commas, that help make the meaning clear when you read and write

pupa:
the cocoon or chrysalis stage of an insect's development

pupil:
the opening that looks like a black spot in the centre of the iris of the eye
The pupil is the only place where light can enter the eye.

purpose:
the reason for doing, using, or making something; a goal

Q

quality of life:
the sense of safety, comfort, security, health, and happiness that a person has in his or her life

quartz:
a very hard mineral
Pure quartz is found in the form of a six-sided clear crystal. Amethyst and jasper are types of coloured quartz.

quid:
a British nickname for a coin worth one pound

quotation marks:
punctuation marks put around the exact words of a speaker

R

r-controlled vowel:
a vowel followed by an r
The r after the vowel makes the vowel have a different sound from the usual long or short vowel sound.

racism:
unnecessary attention paid to the colour of people's skin or where they come from; the idea that people of a certain colour are better than others

readers' theatre:
reading as for a play, with different readers or voices for various characters and parts of the story

recipe:
a set of directions for making something to eat

recount:
tell; give an account of something

recycle:
to return something so that it can be made into something useful

reduce:
to use less

reflect:
throw back light, heat, or sound

refuge:
protection or shelter from danger or trouble
Grandma was my refuge when other kids teased me.

refugee:
a person who leaves his or her home usually in another country, in order to find refuge or safety from war, being treated with cruelty, or disaster
Canada has received and helped refugees from many countries.

related:
connected in any way

relief map:
a map that shows differences in height, either three dimensionally or by using contour lines, shading, or colours

remote:
out of the way; far from a major centre

representative:
a person chosen to act or speak for others

researching:
investigating to find out facts about a topic

resolution:
tells how a problem or conflict in a story was resolved

respond:
to give your opinion or reaction to a story

responsible:
having a duty to do or the ability to take care of something

retina:
the layer of cells at the back of the eyeball
It is sensitive to light and receives the images of whatever you look at.

retrieve:
get something back

reuse:
to use again

rhyme:
a word or line with the same last sound as another

rhyming couplet:
two adjacent lines that rhyme in a poem

rhythm:
1in poetry, a regular pattern of accented syllables or beats
2repeating parts or elements

ridge:
a long, narrow, raised ledge that slopes down on either side; the ridge of a roof; a ridge of land

right:
something you can expect to have
Citizens should have the right to such things as safety, clean water, medical care, fair laws, and education.

root word:
a word from which other words are made

rudder:
a flat blade attached to the back end of a boat or aircraft in order to steer it

rupee:
the currency or money used in India

rural:
of the countryside

S

sampot:
a type of skirt, often made of silk with colourful patterns and gold threads woven through it

sand:
tiny grains of worn-down or disintegrated rock

sarsaparilla:
a kind of soda pop similar to root beer; a fizzy drink flavoured with sarsaparilla roots
The sarsaparilla is a plant with a pleasant tasting and smelling root and heart-shaped leaves.

savanna:
a flat, grassy plain with few trees, especially in a warm climate

scale:
the size of a map, drawing, or model of something compared with the real thing
For example, 1 cm on a map may represent 20 km of actual distance.

scanning:
reading quickly to look for a certain thing

scene:
one of the smallest parts that a play is divided into
It usually deals with one event in the play.

script:
the written version of a play or anything to be said to an audience

sensory words:
words that describe how things look, sound, taste, smell, and feel

setting:
where and when a story happens

service:
helpful or useful action for others; work done for anyone

services:
helpful or useful action for others; work done for anyone, whether for pay or not

sheepcote:
a pen for holding sheep

shoot:
a new plant or leaf growing out; a sprout

sibling:
a brother or a sister

sign language:
a system of communication using gestures or hand movements, as opposed to spoken language, especially the highly developed system of hand signs used by people who are hearing impaired

signature:
the writer's name written in his or her usual style

silhouette:
any dark image outlined against a lighter background; a drawing or portrait done in outline and filled in with one colour

simile:
a comparison between two different things made by using like, as, or as if
For example, "Her voice is as warm as sunlight."

singular noun:
a noun that names a single person, place, or thing

slogan:
a word or phrase that is catchy and easy to remember
Slogans are used by groups to advertise their purpose or guiding beliefs. An example is "Safety First."

soapstone:
a heavy, soft stone that feels a bit like soap
It is often used for carving.

sod:
a thin layer cut from the ground with grass growing on it, including the roots

solid:
a substance that is not a liquid or gas; hard; firm

sound effects:
artificially produced sounds that are used to represent an object or idea for movies, television, radio, or live plays

soundproof:
prevent sounds from passing through

span:
the distance across from edge to edge
For example, the bridge has a span of 50 metres.

speech bubble:
an enclosed space that includes the exact words or thoughts of a character in a cartoon or comic strip

spindle:
a rod or pin that turns around or holds something that turns
A spindle is used to spin yarn from cotton or wool.

split stage:
One part of the stage shows one setting and another part of the stage shows another setting.

stable:
not likely to move, change, or break down

staff:
a large, heavy stick

stalactite:
a hanging icicle-shaped formation on the roof of a cave, formed by dripping water that contains lime

stalagmite:
a cone-shaped formation on the floor of a cave, formed by water dripping from above

standard of living:
the level of wealth, education, comfort, and health that a person enjoys
Canada has a high standard of living compared to some other countries.

staple:
important; main; used regularly

stethoscope:
an instrument used by doctors and nurses to listen to sounds in a patient s lungs, heart, etc.

story structure:
the way a story is put together or written

story summary:
a short version that tells the most important parts of a story

strata:
(plural) layers of rock, air, or water

stratum:
(singular) a single layer of rock, air, or water

streak:
a long, thin mark

structure:
a building or anything built of connected parts put together in an orderly way

subway:
an electric railway running mainly underground in a city

suffix:
a word part or syllable added to the end of a word to make a new word
Adding a suffix can change the meaning of a word or how a word is used.

supernatural:
above or beyond nature or the natural
Talking animals and fairy godmothers are considered to be supernatural.

supporting ideas:
information or ideas that tell more about the main idea

supporting sentences:
sentences that tell more about the main idea or topic
They contain the details or particular facts about the topic stated in the topic sentence.

survey:
a set of questions to be answered by several people

suspect:
a person who is thought to have done something wrong

suspension bridge:
a bridge that hangs from cables or chains between towers

switchboard:
a board with switches, plugs, and buttons for opening and closing electric circuits, especially in earlier times for telephone lines

syllable:
a part of a word pronounced together as a unit
A syllable is made up of a vowel sound alone or a vowel with one or more consonants.

synonym:
a word that means the same as or nearly the same as another word

system:
a set of things or parts forming a whole; for example, a railway system

T

T-chart:
a chart shaped like a T with two columns for entering information

talent:
a special, natural ability

technical:
having to do with the details of how things are done in any art, sport, or line of work, or with skilled trades like welding, plumbing, and so on

technology:
the use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes; the tools and machines people use

teepee:
a cone-shaped tent made of animal skins (later, canvas) over a frame of wooden poles
Teepees were first used by some First Nations peoples of North America.

telling sentence:
a sentence that tells about something or describes a subject
It ends in a period.

tense:
in grammar, a form of the verb that shows the time of the action or state of being talked about
Verbs can show if an action took place in the past, the present, or the future.

text:
written material

texture:
the feel of a substance as a result of the size of its parts and how they are arranged

thatch:
straw or other bundled stems or leaves used as a roof covering

theory:
a reasonable explanation that links facts but which has not itself been proven

thesaurus:
a book that lists words and their synonyms, that is, words that have a similar meaning
The words in a thesaurus are arranged in alphabetical order.

thorax:
the second part of an insect's body, between the head and the abdomen

thunder:
the loud rumbling or crashing noise that follows a flash of lightning
Lightning heats and expands the air quickly, causing the shock wave we hear as thunder.

title page:
usually the first page of a book
It includes the title and other important information about the book.

topic sentence:
a sentence that tells the main idea or main topic of a paragraph

tortilla:
a thin, round, flat kind of bread made from cornmeal or flour and fried

traditions:
beliefs, customs, stories, or arts from past years or generations that are still held, known, or practised

tranquil:
calm; peaceful; quiet

traps:
an old-fashioned word for a prospector's belongings

treasure:
riches or valuable things that are stored or hidden away

triangle outline:
an eight-line summary of a story
It tells the main parts of a story. Each line has one more word than the line before it.

truss:
a beam or support added to strengthen part of a building or bridge

tundra:
a large, flat area with no trees found in arctic regions
The ground beneath the surface stays frozen all year.

tunnel:
any underground passageway

U

umiak:
a large, flat-bottomed boat made of skins stretched over a wooden frame, moved by paddles
Umiaks were traditionally used by Inuit women.

UN:
abbreviation for United Nations, a worldwide organization that works toward peace and better conditions for all nations

urban:
of the city

utensils:
everyday tools
Peelers and measuring cups are kitchen utensils.

V

vaccine:
a liquid made from weakened viruses of a disease
People are protected from the disease by taking the vaccine by needle or by mouth.

vehicle:
anything used to carry goods or people, especially something used on land
Cars, buses, trains, sleds, and bicycles are all vehicles.

veil:
a piece of very thin material worn by a woman to protect or hide her face, or for decoration

veins:
the bundles of tubes and fibres that carry food and water through a leaf and that form its main framework

vent:
a hole or opening

verb:
a word that expresses an action or state of being
In the sentence "Abigail walked to school," walked shows an action. In the sentence "Abigail is a student," is shows a state of being something.

version:
a different form of something
An example is the same story told in prose and in poetry.

vertebrate:
animals having a backbone
Some animals with backbones are mammals, fish, and snakes.

vibration:
the rapid back-and-forth movement of an object

vocal cords:
a pair of thin tissues in the throat
Vocal cords produce sounds when air from the lungs passes between them and makes them vibrate.

volcano:
1 a deep hole in the Earth's crust where steam, ash, and lava are forced out 2 a hill or mountain around this hole, built up by the material that has been forced out and hardened

volume:
loudness of sound

vowel digraph:
two letters together that stand for one vowel sound
It can be short or long, or it can have a special sound of its own.

W

warm-blooded:
having warm blood that stays about the same temperature regardless of the surrounding air or water
Mammals and birds are warm-blooded.

wash:
a thin coating of colour
In paintings, a wash is often applied to create a sky or water.

wilderness:
a region with few or no people living in it

word families:
words that end with the same sound and spelling

workmanship:
the skill and care used by a person or persons in making or creating something

X

Y

yearning:
to feel a strong longing or wanting

yoke:
a wooden frame that fits around the neck to carry a load
A yoke is used around the necks of two work animals to fasten them together for pulling something.

Z

Copyright © 2006, Alberta Education