- On "Read, Write, ROAR!"

Learn about Michigan's wonderful water.

Then, we'll prime our brains for more learning, by making a soundscape with Miss Audra.

Let's go, "Read, Write, ROAR!"

- [Announcer] This program is made possible in part by.

the State of Michigan, and by, and by Viewers Like You, Thank You.

(upbeat music) - When I say the word garden, what pops into your mind?

I imagine colorful flower and vegetable gardens, but what if I add a different adjective to describe the noun, garden?

Rain garden, are you imagining what a rain garden looks like?

I sure am.

I'm Mrs. DeFauw, and I can't wait to learn about rain gardens with all of you.

Today, we will read two sources about rain gardens.

We will write about what we learned to share our knowledge with others.

As we read information, we will paraphrase or quote from our sources.

A source is the text you read.

Paraphrase means to write about what you learn in your own words.

We will also practice inserting direct quotes.

Direct quotes are the author's actual words we want to use in our writing.

When we quote and paraphrase, we always give credit to those sources, to say thank you to those authors for their writing.

Online, I discovered a website called Friends of the Rouge.

The Friends of the Rouge are everyday people, like you and me.

They raise awareness about the need to clean up the Rouge River in southeast Michigan.

The Rouge River is 127 miles long.

It begins in Oakland and Washtenaw counties, flows through Wayne County, and joins the Detroit River.

An article that hooked my attention, is titled, "Rain Gardens to the Rescue."

I was wondering what a rain garden is, and the first heading in this article helped me, as a reader.

The heading states, "What is a rain garden?"

According to Friends of the Rouge and the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter, "A rain garden is a native plant garden designed to capture, store, and soak up rain water rather than have it run off into storm drains."

I want to quote that definition.

When I quote, I use quotation marks to show off exactly what the author wrote.

I must remember where I found this information, so let's copy the link to give credit to the author.

I'm going to read the rest of this section and highlight key words because I plan to paraphrase this content.

"Reducing water flowing into storm drains helps reduce pollution in our local rivers and prevents flooding while providing food and habitat for pollinator insects, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife.

In addition, rain gardens: beautify our yards and neighborhoods, recharge our local groundwater, clean water through the natural processes of the plants, improve quality of life, helps prevent neighborhood flooding by holding back storm water when it rains, encourage knowledge of the native plants of our region and their benefits, Detroit may be eligible for 'green credit' to apply against drainage fee, attracts pollinators and beneficial insects that help gardens and farms to be more productive, serves as a tangible way to contribute to water protection efforts as a community."

Using only the highlighted text, let's paraphrase what we read.

"Friends of the Rouge and the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter, show how rain gardens help protect the environment's groundwater from pollution and flooding.

Rain gardens provide homes and food for wildlife, especially insects that pollinate flowers.

Rain gardens provide a way for people like you and me to help keep our community's water clean."

So we know what a rain garden is, but what goes into a rain garden?

To answer this question, let's use this image titled "Recommended Native Plants."

These labeled photographs, help us as readers to learn about the native plants that go into rain gardens.

Let's read and highlight the first paragraph.

"These are the top 20 native Michigan plants used successfully in Washtenaw County.

The first two rows should be planted on the sides of your rain garden, where it is the driest.

The bottom three rows should be planted on the bottom of your rain garden, where it is the wettest."

Using only the words we highlighted, let's paraphrase.

"A resource titled 'Recommended Native Plants' says rain gardens in southeast Michigan need plants on the sides of the garden to handle the driest areas, such as?"

Which native plant would you use?

I added "Wild Strawberry."

Let's write more.

"The bottom of the rain garden, where it's the wettest, needs flowers like?"

Which native plant would you use?

I added "Blue Flag Irises."

Let's rate our writing together.

"According to Friends of the Rouge and the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter, 'A rain garden is a native plant garden designed to capture, store, and soak up rainwater rather than have it run off into storm drains.

Friends of the Rouge and the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter also show how rain gardens help protect the environment's groundwater from pollution and flooding.

Rain gardens provide homes and food for wildlife, especially insects that pollinate flowers.

Rain Gardens provide a way for people like you and me to help keep our community's water clean.

A resource titled 'Recommended Native Plants' says rain gardens in southeast Michigan need plants on the side of the garden to handle the driest area such as Wild Strawberry.

The bottom of the rain garden, where it's the wettest, needs flowers like Blue Flag Irises."

Let's add a sentence to end our paragraph.

"Rain Gardens provide a colorful way we can help the water we need in our environment."

What do you think?

Maybe you have other ideas of what to add here.

As readers and writers, share what you learned today about rain gardens, maybe you and the special people in your life will create your own rain garden to help the environment.

(upbeat music) (rhythmic music) - Ms. AP, here to help restore your energy.

Before we begin, let's start with our warm up by doing two forward folds.

Standing your tall mountain, arms up, folding over, feeling that stretch, rolling up, one last time, arms up, folding over, feeling that stretch, rolling back into your tall mountain, nice job!

Now that we have warmed up our body, we are ready to exercise.

Today, we are gonna continue our burpees and I have a few new moves to show you.

We'll start in our ready position, feet apart, hands at our side.

We're gonna go down into our squat position, hands on the floor, we're gonna kick our feet back.

Instead of kicking them up, we're gonna kick them out, back in, up, push yourselves up, big jump.

One more time.

In our squat position, down, hands on the floor, kick back, out to the sides, back in.

Readjust yourself, big jump, reset, and give yourselves a big clap, clap.

(hands clapping) Nice job.

Let's cool down by taking two deep breaths.

Deep breath in, deep breath out.

Deep breath in, deep breath out.

Great job!

(upbeat music) (vibrant music) - This lighthouse has saved countless ships and people's lives, and it did that by taking the light from a little lantern, and shooting it out for about 15 miles, but how did it do that?

Hey, I'm Alexis.

I'm visiting the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse to learn more about how lighthouses on Lake Superior work, and what I've been learning is so cool, I wanted to bring you along.

We'll head inside the lighthouse in a minute, but first, I want you to imagine something.

Imagine you're on a big boat somewhere in Lake Superior, and you're sailing in the middle of the night.

Everywhere you look, all you can see is dark water.

Even the land in the distance is too dark to see clearly.

Even if you had a great map, it would be hard to know exactly where in the lake you were on a night like this, especially if you were a sailor in the past, who didn't have a GPS device, a smartphone, or a computer to help them out.

So how could sailors tell where they were?

Well, that's where lighthouses like this come in.

Lighthouses are built all along the coast on big bodies of water, like Lake Superior.

They have a tall tower, like this one, and inside that tower is a light.

The light is so bright that sailors can see it from far away, and it tells them where the land is, or where dangerous obstacles are, like a really shallow area of water that they should avoid.

At night or when it's stormy, many lighthouses flash their light at a different speed and in a different pattern.

So the captains on these ships would see a flashing lighthouse in the distance, and be able to figure out exactly where they were.

Lighthouses were especially important in the days before computers, but sailors still look for them today.

This lighthouse is in Marquette, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula, and it's called the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse because it's, well, it's on the harbor where ships come in to visit Marquette.

The lighthouse was first built way back in 1866, to guide boats into Marquette Harbor, and it's still doing that today.

When it's dark or stormy, a light up in that tower flashes every 10 1/2 seconds.

No other lighthouse nearby flashes its light in that pattern, so the signal tells sailors, they're near Marquette Harbor.

Today, the lighthouse is the oldest major building in Marquette, and there's no other lighthouse on the Great Lakes exactly like it.

So, you wanna head inside?

Let's do it.

Okay, this is the inside of the lighthouse.

Today, it's a museum, and you can visit here to learn more about lighthouses, shipwrecks, and more.

The inside of the building is pretty big, but it's definitely not huge.

There's a basement, a few rooms on the first floor, where I am, and a few more rooms upstairs.

Really, it feels a lot like somebody's home, like someone could live here, and that's because this lighthouse used to be somebody's home.

Let's head up into the tower and I'll tell you more.

Okay, so this is the light that powers the lighthouse.

Today, It's an automatic light and it runs on electricity.

When it gets dark, a light bulb inside this lens lights up, and this plastic cap spins to make it look like the light is flashing on and off.

For the most part, this light takes care of itself.

You can turn it on at night and then go to bed, and not really have to worry about it, but that hasn't always been true.

Many lighthouses used to use oil lanterns, which needed to be kept full of oil.

So for more than a hundred years, people were hired to live at the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse.

It was their job to do everything from keeping the building clean and painting it the right color, to taking care of the light so that sailors could see it from miles away.

These people were called lighthouse keepers, and they often brought their families to live with them at the lighthouse while they were working.

Being a lighthouse keeper could be a tough job.

There was always work to do in the spring, summer, and fall when ships were traveling around the lake, and then, in the winter, well, winters on Lake Superior can get pretty snowy and windy, so things got boring around here fast.

Today, there aren't very many full-time lighthouse keepers left on the Great Lakes.

People in teams still take care of lighthouses, but not a lot of people live at them anymore.

That's true at this lighthouse too, nobody lives here these days, but the building is well taken care of.

Today, lighthouses help ships stay safe on Lake Superior, on the Great Lakes, and on seas and oceans around the world, and I loved getting the chance to learn more about how they worked and what it was like to take care of one.

Thanks for joining me on the trip, to the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse, I'm glad you came.

(upbeat music) - Hi, I'm Mrs.

Mask.

Today, we're going to learn about something in Lansing that's really unusual, the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge.

Once we learn about this infamous bridge with a bad reputation, I'm gonna write an Ode to this structure.

An ode is an ancient form of poetry, where we give a shout-out to something we love.

Odes can be serious or cheerful.

When writing an ode, use descriptive language to express your affection.

So how do you write an ode?

First, pick a subject.

This can be a person, place, or a thing.

Now, use your five senses, touch, taste, sight, sound, and smell to help you create a clear picture of your subject.

Now, here's the fun part.

Use exciting words and big descriptions to show why it's amazing.

Before I write my ode, let's learn some facts about the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge.

It's a railroad bridge on Pennsylvania Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

It's made of iron and steel.

There's a 12-foot clearance, so some trucks are too tall to go under it safely.

There are flashing lights that draw attention to the clearance on the bridge.

It has eyes and teeth made of felt as decoration.

It takes off the tops of trucks and RVs that are just a little too tall to fit under it.

78 trucks have been caught under it between 2004 and 2024.

Now, that we've learned a little bit about "Penny," the nickname often the used for the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge, let's write about it in a uniquely affectionate way, with an ode, that we can share with others, so they can learn the facts about this structure too.

Odes can be emotional and they can also be informative.

"Ode To Big Penny."

"Oh, Big Penny, made of iron and steel on Pennsylvania Avenue, you reveal, a 12-foot clearance, just a bit too tight, yet trucks keep trying with all their might.

A hunger no truck can escape or outsmart, you crush them all doing your part.

Beneath the arch, warning stands so clear, yet drivers come, unfazed without a fear.

25 trucks this year alone you've claimed, and 78 says 2004, you've tamed.

They measure, guess, and think they'll make it through, but you, Big Penny, know what they will do.

With every truck that dares to sneak by, you stand tall, while they get stuck and cry.

A scrape, a crutch, another feast today, another big rig, stuck in the way.

Oh, Big Penny, the railroad bridge of fame, the one that trucks fear, but can't quite tame.

Truckers grumble as they pass your face, the flashing lights can't save their haste.

Oh, Big Penny, legends grow with time, of your low clearance and hunger's climb.

Truck drivers whisper tales of you at night, the bridge that feasts, unseen, just out of sight.

But it's not in malice your low, strong form, you've stood your ground through many a storm.

For years, you've kept your rail intact, while trucks keep testing and getting smacked.

So here's to you, Big Penny, our pride, the bridge that eats trucks, but let's trains glide.

You teach the truckers to think things through, and keep the city safe with what you do."

If you didn't know anything about the Pennsylvania Bridge, could this ode teach you about it?

Well, let's look it over and see where we can find the facts.

Can you visualize Big Penny while I was reading the poem?

In your mind, did you see the lights flashing to warn the trucks to turn around before it's too late?

What about the truckers thinking that they could make it through, and then getting stuck?

The ode was both entertaining and informative.

What a unique way to teach people about something new, with a form of poetry.

Just remember that when you write in ode, you should choose a subject, use the five senses to create strong imagery, and use descriptive language to describe your subject.

Now, what subject will you choose for your ode?

Consider the style of writing, next time you're asked to share your knowledge about a person, place, or something new or unusual.

Have fun, and keep writing!

(upbeat vibrant music) - Hello friends.

I'm Miss Audra, and today, we're going into the kitchen.

So I want you to think about all the sounds you might hear, whether it's in your kitchen at home, or at a restaurant where you're imagining what's happening in the kitchen there?

So let's take our breaths together, as we balance and calm our bodies, and get ready, here we go.

Hmm, and I'm gonna blow out like a sizzling pan, tzz tzzz, tzz, tzzz one more time, (inhaling deeply) Hold, any way you want, tzz tzzz, tzz, So again, think about all the sounds you might hear, maybe you hear somebody's mixing something, or chopping vegetables up, or calling out, "Dinner's ready," or, "Pick up this order, right?"

So get ready and make your own sound, and don't forget to use your hand, your whole body if you have the space, okay?

On the count of three, 1, 2, 3, ah, I'm listen.

That's a busy kitchen, yes, keep it going, and I'm gonna add my sound, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop!

Nice job, and on the count of three, 1, 2, 3, oh, boss!

So a busy kitchen, maybe it's at home, maybe it was in a restaurant, but we did it together.

So thank you so much for joining us, and as we leave today and say goodbye, let's take that last breath together, here we go, and blow out any way you want, I'm a sizzling pan today, "tzz tzzz, tzz.

Nice, see you next time.

(upbeat vibrant music) - Do you ever find complicated words when you're reading?

I know I do, I'm Mrs. Mora.

Today, we'll learn to use word parts to read and understand unknown words.

Recently, while reading about protecting water, I found some difficult words, here's one.

First, let's circle the prefixes.

A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word to change Its meaning.

Do you see a prefix?

It's "C-O-N." "Con," can mean with, together, or thoroughly.

Next, let's circle the suffixes.

A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to change its meaning.

Do you see a suffix?

We see this part, "A-T-I-O-N," "ation" combines the suffixes, "A-T-E," and "I-O-N." It's often added to verbs to make nouns that name an action or process.

Next, let's mark the remaining vowels.

Vowels help us break words into syllables.

Every syllable has at least one vowel and only one vowel sound.

Which vowels do you see?

We see "e" with "r", which is an R-controlled vowel.

Since there is one vowel, we expect to find one syllable in this root.

Let's say the word parts.

"con, ser, va, tion," now, let's say the whole word, conservation."

Is that a word?

It is, since it is a word, we're finished.

Conservation means the careful protection of something.

Creating a rain garden or fixing leaky faucets are examples of water conservation.

If you speak Spanish, the word, "conservación," can help you understand this word.

Here's another word.

First, let's circle the prefixes.

Do you see any prefixes?

It's P-R-E, pre.

Pre, often means before.

Next, let's circle the suffixes.

What do you see?

Here's, "ation" again.

Now, let's mark the remaining vowels we see "e" with "r", which is an R-controlled vowel.

Since there is one vowel, we expect to find one syllable in this root.

Let's say the word parts, "pre", "ser", "va", tion".

Now, let's say the whole word, pre-servation.

Is that a word?

Not quite.

Let's try different sounds to make it a real word.

I'll move the "s" into the first syllable, and use the short "e" sound, eh, "pres, er, va, tion, preservation."

Oh, preservation.

The "s" makes the zz sound here, like it often does between vowels.

Preservation is the act of keeping something in its original state and unharmed.

Preservation and conservation are related to the word serve, which means to guard or protect, in these words.

If you speak Spanish, the word "preservación," can help you understand this word.

Great work today!

Keep reading and try the strategy the next time you find a challenging word.

- Thank you so much for watching.

For activity guides, videos, lessons, and so much more, be sure to visit our website, Michiganlearning.org, and don't forget to "Read, Write, ROAR!"

(fun upbeat music) (fun upbeat music continues) - [Announcer] This program is made possible in part by, the State of Michigan, and by, and by Viewers Like You, Thank You!

(upbeat fun music) (upbeat fun music continues) (gentle music)