Vocabulary - Salmon People
Question: What is imagery, and how can it be used in writing? Provide your example of imagery.
Answer: Imagery is descriptive language that creates word pictures for readers, using sensory details to appeal to the senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Examples of imagery include:
Question: How does Bri initially feel about participating in the salmon ceremony?
in your own words-
Answer: Reluctant and resistant.
Question: What does the word "admonished" mean in the context of the story?
Answer: Told someone that they have done something wrong. Example: Bri’s mother admonished her for not wanting to participate in the ceremony.
Question: What is an ecosystem? Read the definition from the book and explain it in your own words.
Question: What does the term "species" mean in the book? Provide your own example of a species.
Answer: An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment. (Students should paraphrase based on their understanding.)
Answer: A species is a group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring. For example, house cats are a species of animal.
Question: What is an organism? Read the definition from the book and give an example from your own experience.
Answer: An organism is a living thing. For example, a tree, a cat, or a human. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: What is a habitat according to the book? Provide an example from your local environment.
Answer: A habitat is the place where an organism lives, such as a forest or a pond. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: What is photosynthesis according to the book? Explain why it's important in an ecosystem and give an example.
Answer: Photosynthesis is the process by which plants make food using sunlight. It is important because it produces oxygen and food for other organisms. For example, trees use photosynthesis to grow and provide oxygen. (Students should provide their own examples.)
200 Points:
Question: Give an example of a sensory detail that appeals to your sense of sight and another that appeals to your sense of sound. Provide your own examples.
Question: What is the significance of the first salmon ceremony?
Answer: It is an annual event where the first salmon of the year is caught and honored, reflecting the cultural and spiritual importance of the salmon to the community.
Question: What literary device is used in the phrase "fluttering and dancing in the breeze"?
Answer: Imagery, as it creates a vivid picture of the daffodils moving gently in the wind.
Question: Define the term "habitat" as described in the book and provide an example in your own words.
Answer: A habitat is the natural environment in which an organism lives. (Students should paraphrase and give an example like "A forest is a habitat for deer.")
Question: Define the term "species" as described in the book and provide another example from your own experience.
Answer: A species is a group of very similar organisms that can reproduce together. For example, humans are a species. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: Explain the term "population" as described in the book. Provide an example of a population you see around you.
Answer: A population is all the members of one species in a particular area, like all the frogs in a pond. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: Define "nutrients" as described in the book and explain why they are crucial for plants. Provide an example from your experience.
Answer: Nutrients are substances that provide nourishment essential for growth and life. They are crucial for plants to grow and develop. For example, compost provides nutrients to garden plants. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: Define the term "migration" and provide an example of animal migration. Can you think of another example of migration?
Answer: Migration is the travel from one region or climate to another. An example of animal migration is the salmon migrating from freshwater to saltwater. Students might come up with other examples, such as birds flying south for the winter.
Question: What message does Bri’s mother convey when she says, "The salmon is our most cherished food"?
Answer: The message conveys the importance of the salmon to their culture and the need to show gratitude and respect for it.
Question: How does the author use sensory details to describe the ceremony?
Answer: The author uses details like the sight of colorful clothing, the sound of drumming, and the smell of roasting salmon to create a vivid picture of the ceremony.
Question: What is a community in an ecological context according to the book? Give an example in your own words.
Answer: A community is all the different populations that live together in a particular area. For example, a forest community includes trees, birds, insects, and mammals.
Question: How do organisms within a species reproduce according to the book? Provide an example of reproduction from your own observations.
Answer: Organisms within a species reproduce by having offspring. For example, cats having kittens. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: How do different habitats support different organisms as explained in the book? Give an example of a habitat and its inhabitants from your surroundings.
Answer: Different habitats provide the specific needs required by different organisms. For example, a river supports fish and aquatic plants. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: Explain the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers in a food chain as detailed in the book. Give an example of each from your local environment.
Answer: Producers make their own food (e.g., plants), consumers eat other organisms (e.g., animals), and decomposers break down dead matter (e.g., fungi). For example, in a garden, grass (producer) is eaten by rabbits (consumer), and dead leaves are broken down by fungi (decomposer). (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: Explain the meaning of the prefix "re-" and give an example of a word that uses this prefix. Can you think of another word with this prefix?
Answer: The prefix "re-" means "again." An example is "rewrite," which means to change a text again. Students might come up with words like "redo" or "rebuild."
Question: Describe the theme of respect for nature as depicted in the story.
Answer: The story emphasizes the need to honor and protect the salmon and the natural world, as seen in the traditions and rituals surrounding the salmon ceremony.
Question: Fill in the blank using the correct academic word: "The salmon's life ____ takes it from rivers to the ocean and back."
Answer: Cycle.
Question: During ________, plants make food using sunlight.
Question: Animals must ________ to have offspring, or babies. (Reproduce)
Answer: During photosynthesis, plants make food using sunlight.
Answer: Animals must reproduce to have offspring, or babies.
Question: Describe the relationship between organisms and their species as explained in the book. Can you give an example of a species you observe in your environment?
Answer: Organisms belong to a species that can reproduce together. For example, dogs belong to the canine species. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: What does the book say about the movement of populations within their habitats? Provide an example of a migrating population you know about.
Answer: Populations may move within their habitats for survival needs, such as food or breeding. For example, birds migrate south for the winter. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: Describe a food chain from the book and then create a similar food chain from your local environment.
Answer: A food chain in the book might start with plants, followed by herbivores eating the plants, and carnivores eating the herbivores. For example, grass -> rabbit -> fox. (Students should create their own food chains.)
WRITE THESE DOWN OR MEMORIZE THEM
Question: Fill in the blanks using the correct academic words: cultural, cycle, migration, tradition.
Question: How does Bri’s character change from the beginning to the end of the story? Provide specific examples.
Answer: Bri changes from being reluctant and dismissive to understanding and respectful of the salmon ceremony. She initially wants to stay home and watch TV but later takes the salmon bones to the river to honor the tradition.
Question: Identify and explain the use of symbolism in the story.
Answer: The salmon symbolizes life, sustenance, and the cultural heritage of the people. The annual ceremony represents the continuity and respect for traditions and the natural world.
Question: Using the words "nonliving," "nutrients," "organism," "photosynthesis," "reproduce," "species," "consume," "environment," "interact," and "survive" from the book, summarize concisely how ecosystems work. Then, provide a real-world example to support your answer.
Answer: Ecosystems consist of living organisms and nonliving elements. Nutrients in the environment support organisms that undergo photosynthesis to produce energy. Organisms interact, reproduce, and consume resources to survive. Species within an ecosystem interact and depend on each other. For example, in a forest ecosystem, plants (organisms) use photosynthesis to make food, herbivores consume plants, and carnivores eat herbivores, all interacting within their environment to maintain balance and survive.
Question: Using the words "organism" and "species," summarize how different species interact within an ecosystem. Provide an example from your own experience.
Answer: Different species, each made up of organisms, interact within an ecosystem by forming food chains and webs. For example, in a pond, fish (species) eat insects (species), and birds (species) eat fish. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: Using the words "habitat," "population," and "community," explain how these concepts are interconnected. Provide an example from your environment.
Answer: A habitat is the environment where populations of different species live. Together, these populations form a community. For example, in a forest (habitat), deer, birds, and insects (populations) live together, creating a community. (Students should provide their own examples.)
Question: Using the words "producers," "consumers," and "decomposers," summarize how food chains work. Then, provide a real-world example from your environment.
Answer: Producers create food, consumers eat producers or other consumers, and decomposers break down dead matter, returning nutrients to the soil. For example, in a forest, trees (producers) are eaten by deer (consumers), and fallen leaves are decomposed by fungi (decomposers). (Students should provide their own examples.)