WPT Archives: 1980s

flashy synthesizer music

4 high-pitched dings

swanky synthesizer music

Hi, Norby, whatcha doin'? Stamping... on the table.

stamps foot

Now, I'm stamping on the floor. These are the new pages for my stamp collection.

Mandy

Do they always come in big envelopes? Uh-huh. Do you want something? Yeah, there's this word in my story. Listen. Emma folded her letter and put it in the... "en...en..." that word. What is it? You already know it. I do? Sure, read the next step and see if you can figure out what it means. She took it downstairs to the mailbox. Tomorrow, it would be on its way to the president. So? So, when you don't understand something look for clues, remember? Well, I know it has something to do with the letter. Then, she mailed the letter. What do you put a letter in before you mail it? One of these, an en... el... eno... Wait a second. Remember the clues and try saying the word really slowly. "En-vel-op-ee?" - Again. "En-vel-op-ee... En... "En-vel... en-vel-ope!" Right! "Emma folded the letter and put it in the envelope." Now I get it. Thanks, Norb. - Hey, don't go. My children, you must make haste to the land of Mojuste. The evil Thorzuul is once again wreaking his horrible havoc. He's being bad. Hurry! Ready? Let's go.

cautious pipe organ notes

Mandy

"Thunder and lightning, "Trumpets and drums. "Readers rejoice! A storylord comes!"

bike-o-tron chain rattling

Mandy

shimmery mystical music

Mandy

Hey, where'd he go? He was right here. I'll go this way, you go that way. There you are. Please don't hurt me. Hurt you? We're not gonna hurt you. We're your friends. You mean, you weren't sent by Thorzuul? No way. We're apprentice storylords sent to help you by Lexor. My name is Mandy and my brother's name is Norby. Who are you? Zandro, and if you're storylords, maybe you can help me here. Here, look at this. It's from Thorzuul. I watched dan... dan... We'll come back to that word. I watched some things by the hour. Is it a weed or is it a flower? They grow in my lawn gold as the sun. Bring me a bunch or you'd better run! Hmm... "Danel... dan... "dan... hmm..." Hey, you found him. Yeah, and he needs our help. What is it you were telling me about how to figure out words you don't know? I was telling you exactly what Mrs. Framish said in reading class last week.

Mrs. Framish

Today, we're going to learn what to do when we read words that we don't know. Sometimes, those words are new to us. We've never heard them before. Other times, we know what a word sounds like, but not what it looks like. Let's see if there's a word like that on the board. Angie, will you read for us? Hansel and Gretel were locked in a candy cane. Its long thin bars were made of... lic... leek... like...? I don't know that word. Does anyone recognize that word? No? Let's continue reading. Let's see if we can find some clues that will help us as to what it means. Some were black and some were red. They all tasted sweet and delicious. Good, Angie. That was very good work. Now, let's go back to that word we didn't know. Let's be word detectives. What clues can we find to help us figure out what that word means? Norbert? It says that Hansel and Gretel were put in a candy cage and that word is about the bars in the cage. So, it must be some sort of candy. Very good, Detective Norbert. Can you tell us how you knew that the sentence about the bars was about the bars in the candy cage? Because of the word "it." That refers to the candy cage in the first sentence. Good work. You find an important clue. Has anyone else found more clues that will help us figure out our mystery word? Jason? Well, it says that the bars were long and thin and some are black and some are red. So, it must be a long thin candy that's black or red. Another important clue. Angie? It's something that tastes sweet and delicious, too. What clue tells you that, Angie? In the last sentence, it says that they all tasted sweet and delicious. The word "they" is about the bars. Good work, all of you. Now, let's go back to that word and let's think about all of our clues. It's a candy. It can be black or red and it tastes sweet and delicious. Jason, why don't you try for us. Like-or... A little slower. Like-or-ice. Good, that's the way it looks. Now, try it again, and this time, use short vowel sounds instead of long ones. Lic-cor-is. A long thin candy that can be either black or red. Lic-cor-is... licorice! Good, yes! I'll bet you all know what licorice is, don't you? You just didn't know what it looked like. Let's go back and reread the passage now. Angie, will you read for us? Hansel and Gretel were locked in a candy cane. It's long thin bars were made of licorice. Some were black and some were red. They all tasted sweet and delicious. Now, I understand it! Remember, when you read a word you don't know, you need to be a word detective. Try to figure out what it means. Look for clues in sentences around the word. Try saying it in different ways until it sounds like a real word, until it makes sense to you. You may discover it's a word you already know, like licorice. If you're a good word detective, you'll be a good reader. Now, take your reading books out. We'll practice what we just learned. Turn to page 31. Let's see if you're good word detectives. If you're good word detectives, you'll be good readers. So, let's check this note for clues.

Thorzuul

Ha ha ha! - Uh-oh! Here comes "you know who." I'll go try and keep him busy while you figure out his message. but hurry, okay? I watch dane... dan... "whatever-they-are"(s) by the hour. Is it a weed or is it a flower? There's a clue! He has a flower, but some people must think it's a weed They grow in my lawn.

Another clue

they grow in lawns. Gold as the sun. Another clue! Bring me a bunch or you'd better run. Hmm... we've got three clues. It's a flower that some people think is a weed. They grow in lawns. And they're gold in color Hmm... Danel... dan...

Norbert

Hurry! He's coming around the bend. Dane-de-lions. dan-de-lions. dan-del-ions.

Both speak in unison

Dandelions! Gold flowers that grow on the lawn. My dad says they're weeds. Hey, look!

motorcycle engine buzzes

Both speak in unison

discordant synthesizer music

Both speak in unison

motorcycle engine roars

Both speak in unison

Well? Where are my flowers? or couldn't you understand my notes? -

Thorzuul laughs evilly

Milkbreath laughs obnoxiously

Both speak in unison

No, I couldn't. Oh, no, what a pity.

Thorzuul and Milkbreath laugh

Both speak in unison

Ha ha ha ha ha ha. That is until these two showed up. I beg your pardon. Your dandelions. But?!? But how did you figure out the word? I knew you'd never seen it. Well, when I realized I didn't know it, I read on and looked for clues that would help me understand it. Then, I tried to figure out how to say the word, remembering the clues, and I got it. Thanks to you two! You two?!? I've had just about enough of you two! Mandy, I think we'd better be gone. I hope you're not allergic to dandelions.

Mandy

Bye. Home.

shimmery mystical music

Mandy

Me, allergic to dandelions? Ridicul--

inhaling to sneeze

sneezing loudly

Mandy

Aaa- aa- achoo! Bless you! Milkbreath, get me out of here.

Thorzuul sneezing loudly

Mandy

spiffy synthesizer music

Mandy

Thorzuul sneezing loudly

Thorzuul loudly sneezes

Thorzuul sneezes loudly

Thorzuul "achoo"s

Thorzuul sneezes

Mandy