Sugar Lump, the Orphan Calf
"Sugar Lump, the Orphan Calf" is drawn from some of the real life experiences Lynn Sheffield Simmons had when Sugar Lump was a calf. The book is a heart-warming story that involves twelve-year-old Marcy who takes the responsibility of raising and caring for the little calf. As the calf grows, he and Marcy form a strong attachment for each other and eventually, Marcy becomes involved in a suspenseful search that leads to an unexpected ending. Although the story is chiefly fiction the calf’s humorous behavior is true.
FOR DISCUSSION:
Acceptance: What happens when Sugar Lump is let into the pasture to play with the other calves? How is Marcy’s idea about how Sugar Lump will be accepted by the other calves different from what actually happened?
Leadership: Define leader. What does Sugar Lump do to become one?
Taking Responsibility: On (p.6) Marcy asks her mother if she can keep Sugar Lump in the fenced yard. "It will be all right," her mother said, "but he’ll be your responsibility and you’ll have to be the one to raise him." What is the meaning of her mother’s statement? What does Marcy do that shows she takes that responsibility?
Loyalty and Friendship: How does Marcy show that she is Sugar Lump’s friend? Define loyalty. When does Marcy show that she is loyal to Sugar Lump?
Humor: What do you think are the funniest parts of the story?
ACTIVITIES:
Vocabulary: Try to define these words from the context of the story or find them in the dictionary. Drawled (p.1), limber (p.4), instinctively (p.4), responsibility (p.8), orphan (title, p.10), bellowing/bawled (p.20), pasture (p.23), perspiration (p.29), motionless (p.37), clamor (p.39), underbrush (p.39)
Grammar:
Noun- A noun is the name of a person, place, or thing. Look on (p.1) to find the name of a person, find the name of a place, and find a thing.Contractions- Contractions are two words put together with one or more letters left out and an apostrophe is put in its place. Look on (p.1) to find two contractions and then write on your paper the letters that are missing.Adjectives- Adjectives describe a noun or pronoun. Look on (P.1) and find two adjectives.Adverb- An adverb answers the questions how, where, when, how many times, and to what extent? Look on (P.3) and find two adverbs.Conjunctions- Conjunctions join words and sentences. Look on (P.3) and find two conjunctions.Preposition- A noun or pronoun follows a preposition, and when this combination of words occurs it forms a prepositional phrase. Look on (P.3) and find three prepositional phrases.Pronouns- A pronoun is used in place of a noun. Look on (P.3) and find five pronouns.Verbs- Verbs show action, being, or state of being. Look on (P.4) and find five action verbs.
Geography: Locate Texas on a map. Where is the state capital? What is the state bird? What is the state tree? What is a ranch?
Math: If you feed a calf 2 times a day, how many times would you feed him in a week? A calf’s bottle holds 2 quarts of milk. How many quarts make a gallon? Two quarts is what fraction of a gallon? How many pints are in a quart? How many cups are in a quart? How many cups are in a pint?
Science: What are mammals? Are cows mammals? What other animals are mammals? What do cows eat? Why do calves bellow? What are periwinkles?
Questions compiled by Lynn Sheffield Simmons, BS, M.Ed. and Emory Bishop A.A., BS
Sugar Lump, the Orphan Calf"Sugar Lump, the Orphan Calf" has been added to the Accelerated Reader Program
FOR DISCUSSION:
Acceptance: What happens when Sugar Lump is let into the pasture to play with the other calves? How is Marcy’s idea about how Sugar Lump will be accepted by the other calves different from what actually happened?
Leadership: Define leader. What does Sugar Lump do to become one?
Taking Responsibility: On (p.6) Marcy asks her mother if she can keep Sugar Lump in the fenced yard. "It will be all right," her mother said, "but he’ll be your responsibility and you’ll have to be the one to raise him." What is the meaning of her mother’s statement? What does Marcy do that shows she takes that responsibility?
Loyalty and Friendship: How does Marcy show that she is Sugar Lump’s friend? Define loyalty. When does Marcy show that she is loyal to Sugar Lump?
Humor: What do you think are the funniest parts of the story?
ACTIVITIES:
Vocabulary: Try to define these words from the context of the story or find them in the dictionary. Drawled (p.1), limber (p.4), instinctively (p.4), responsibility (p.8), orphan (title, p.10), bellowing/bawled (p.20), pasture (p.23), perspiration (p.29), motionless (p.37), clamor (p.39), underbrush (p.39)
Grammar:
Noun- A noun is the name of a person, place, or thing. Look on (p.1) to find the name of a person, find the name of a place, and find a thing.Contractions- Contractions are two words put together with one or more letters left out and an apostrophe is put in its place. Look on (p.1) to find two contractions and then write on your paper the letters that are missing.Adjectives- Adjectives describe a noun or pronoun. Look on (P.1) and find two adjectives.Adverb- An adverb answers the questions how, where, when, how many times, and to what extent? Look on (P.3) and find two adverbs.Conjunctions- Conjunctions join words and sentences. Look on (P.3) and find two conjunctions.Preposition- A noun or pronoun follows a preposition, and when this combination of words occurs it forms a prepositional phrase. Look on (P.3) and find three prepositional phrases.Pronouns- A pronoun is used in place of a noun. Look on (P.3) and find five pronouns.Verbs- Verbs show action, being, or state of being. Look on (P.4) and find five action verbs.
Geography: Locate Texas on a map. Where is the state capital? What is the state bird? What is the state tree? What is a ranch?
Math: If you feed a calf 2 times a day, how many times would you feed him in a week? A calf’s bottle holds 2 quarts of milk. How many quarts make a gallon? Two quarts is what fraction of a gallon? How many pints are in a quart? How many cups are in a quart? How many cups are in a pint?
Science: What are mammals? Are cows mammals? What other animals are mammals? What do cows eat? Why do calves bellow? What are periwinkles?
Questions compiled by Lynn Sheffield Simmons, BS, M.Ed. and Emory Bishop A.A., BS
Sugar Lump, the Orphan Calf"Sugar Lump, the Orphan Calf" has been added to the Accelerated Reader Program