Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the

Slippery Salamander

• Compiled by:• Terry Sams PES

Written by Donald J. Sobol and Illustrated by Brett Helquist

Study Skills• Genre: Realistic Fiction• Comprehension Skill: Plot• Comprehension Strategy: Prior

Knowledge• Comprehension Review Skill:

Compare/Contrast• Vocabulary: Word Structure – Synonyms

and Antonyms

SummaryA salamander has been stolen from the Den of Darkness in the town aquarium. Encyclopedia Brown, the police chief’s son, solves the mystery that has his dad stumped.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

(Different PowerPoint on Genre)

Realistic Fiction tells about events that could really happen. As you read, think about how the events in this story are similar to events in real life.

Comprehension Skill - Plot TE

488 •A story’s plot is the important parts of the story.

•A plot, or underlying story structure, is found only in fiction

•The parts of a plot are the conflict, or problem, the rising action, the climax, and the resolution, or outcome.

Comprehension Skill review – Plot and Character PB193

Problem 1.

Rising Action Cory waited for her turn.

Rising Action 2.

Climax 3.

Resolution 4.

Cory was trying out for a dance group.

Cory danced.

Cory made it into group.

Cory cheered.

Grammar Review – Pronouns

• Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns.

• Pronouns that take place of a singular noun are singular pronouns

• I, me, he, she him, her and it

• Pronouns that take the place of plural nouns are plural pronouns.

• we, us, they, them

Grammar Review – Subject and Object Pronouns

• A subject pronoun is used as the subject of a sentence.I, you, he, she, it, we and they

• Object pronouns is used in the predicate of the sentence after an action verb or with a preposition.

me, you, him her, it, us and them

• Using pronouns makes writing less wordy by avoiding repeated nouns.

Grammar Review – Possessive Pronouns

• Possessive pronouns show who or what possesses something. The possessive pronouns my, your, her, our, and their are used before nouns

• The possessive pronouns mine, yours, hers, ours, and theirs are used alone..

• Possessive pronouns his and its are used before nouns and alone.

Review Questions

1. Besides working at the aquarium, what do Dr. O’Donnell, Mrs. Brown, and Sam Maine have in common?

2. What is an important lesson in this story?

3. What is the setting of the story?

4. Why did the author write this story?

5. What was Encyclopedia’s clue that helped him solve the crime?

Review Questions

1. Why would Sam Maine have lied about his experience with animals?

2. What was Mrs. King doing while Dr. O’Donnell was examining the crocodile?

3. How are frogs and salamanders alike?

4. What might Sam have done with the Salamander if he had not been caught?

5. What did Encyclopedia need before he could solve the crime?

Vocabulary - Say It

•reference•reptiles•stumped•Salamanders

•amphibians

•lizards•exhibit•crime•baffled

amphibians• cold-blooded animals

with backbones and moist scale-less skin. Their young usually have gills and live in water until they develop lungs for living on land.

crime•activity of criminals; breaking of the law

reference•used for information or help

reptiles•cold-blooded animals with backbones and lungs, usually covered with horny plates for scales

salamanders•animals shaped like lizards, but related to frogs and toads. They have smooth skin and live in water or in damp places.

stumped

•puzzled

baffled•bewildered; hindered someone by being too hard to understand

Leroy is called Encyclopedia because his brain was filled with more facts than a reference book.

Leroy is called Encyclopedia because his brain was filled with more facts than a reference book.

A salamander looks like a lizard.

A salamander looks like a lizard.

A zoo exhibit has live animals on display that you can see up close.

A zoo exhibit has live animals on display that you can see up close.

It would be a crime to steal an animal from the zoo.

It would be a crime to steal an animal from the zoo.

Whenever the chief was stumped, Encyclopedia would crack the case for him.

Whenever the chief was stumped, Encyclopedia would crack the case for him.

Snakes, turtles, and lizards are all reptiles.

Snakes, turtles, and lizards are all reptiles.

Frogs, toads, and salamanders are all amphibians.

Frogs, toads, and salamanders are all amphibians.

Spelling Words Prefixes un-, dis-, and in-

•distrust•uncertain •incomplete•unlikely•unfair

•discontinue•unaware•disorder•discount•indirect

Spelling Words Prefixes un-, dis-, and in-

•unopened•disrespect•unimportant•unlisted•disrepair

•inability•disapprove

•unsolved•disobey•unsuspecting

CHALLENGE

• disintegrate• disillusioned• unconscious• unappetizing

• intolerant

Let’s review our Spelling words. Watch carefully because they will flash on the screen for just a moment. We can clap as we spell the word, or we might just practice reading the words.

unsuspecting

disobey

unsolved

disapprove

inability

disrepair

unlisted

unimportant

disrespect

unopened

indirect

discount

disorder

unaware

unfair

unlikely

incomplete

uncertain

distrust

discontinue

disintegrate

disillusioned

unconscious

unappetizing

intolerant