Juan Verdades
The Man Who Couldn’t Tell a Lie
Retold by Joe Hayes
Illustrated by Joseph Daniel Fiedler
Story Overview: Don Ignacio and don Arturo made a bet about whether or not Juan
Verdures would tell a lie. Don Arturo has bet his ranch that he can make Juan tell a lie. If
don Arturo loses the bet, he and his family will have lost their ranch.
Genre: A Folk Tale is a story based on the traditions of a people or region,
which is handed down from one generation to the next and becomes
legendary.
Vocabulary:
1. foreman-boss
2. employee-someone who works for another person or company
3. gritted-something that is pressed together hard
4. fulfill-you finish it satisfactorily
5. gloated-he or she showed mean-spirited satisfaction
6. flourish-means to thrive and grow strong
7. vigorously-with energy and force
8. gleefully-with cheer
Strategy: Analyze Story Structure The way the writer organizes the events
of the plot helps a reader understand how the characters, setting, and plot
work together.
Skill: Character, Setting, Plot Plot is the action of a story. It gives the story
a beginning, middle, and end. A character is who the story is about. Setting
is where and when the story takes place.
Grammar: Action Verbs; Direct/Indirect Objects An action verb
expresses an action and can be physical or mental. The word that answers
the question What? Or Whom? is called the direct object. An indirect object
always appears before the direct object and tells to whom or for whom the
action is done. (Jason kicked Kaylee the ball. Kaylee is the indirect object.)
Spelling List: Words with Accented Syllables
Ignore, wealthy, fulfill, healthy, enroll, accept, parchment, dismay, debate, prepare,
repair, applaud, forlorn, shoulder, abroad, flounder, saunter, falter, install, bounty
Review words: voter, recite, topic
Challenge words: jaunty, cauldron