A Peddler’s Dream
Genre: Historical Fiction
Author’s Purpose: Entertain, Inform
Skill: Plot
By: Janice Shefelman
Illustrated by:
Tom Shefelman
Compiled by Terry Sams, Piedmont
Summary
Solomon Joseph Azar left his home in
the mountains of Lebanon and came to the
United States to seek his fortune. A man
from the old country gave him advice - to
become a peddler. Not long after he began
peddling his wares, he was robbed. A farm
family took him in. He exchanged work for
food - until one day he got a job in a dry
goods store in town. This was not the end of
Solomon's troubles, but he never gave up on
his dream.
Listen to a summary by a child:
Genre: Historical Fiction
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Historical Fiction is fiction that takes
place in the past.
The author makes up the characters
and events, but the characters and
events seem real.
The setting is important, and the
problems and events are based on
things that really did or could have
happened during the time period.
Comprehension Skill:
Plot
•A story’s plot is the important parts of
the story.
•The plot can be a series of events
that center on a problem or conflict.
•The parts of a plot are the conflict, or
problem, the rising action, the climax,
and the resolution, or outcome.
Plot quiz
Plot PowerPoint Practice
Comprehension Skill Review –
Visualizing
• When we visualize while reading, we create
pictures in our minds.
• Visualizing helps us to relate to the
characters in a text.
• We imagine what things look like, smell,
sound, taste, and feel.
Vocabulary Skill Review :
Antonyms
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Antonyms are words that have opposite
meanings.
Many writers create sentences in which a known
word may be used as a clue to the meaning of
an antonym.
Examples :
Because I was too tired to run, I slowly trudged
up the pier.
To earn money, I began peddling my paintings,
selling them to people in the park.
Click on the title to practice this skill.
Research Skill - Graphs
Weekly Fluency Check Read with Expression TE 493d
● Students should read with expression.
● For example, they should change the tone of
voice to match the character speaking.
● In the passage below, the tone changes from
serious when Solomon encounters thieves, to
much more relaxed when he meets Mr.
Lindheimer.
● Go to pages 482 - 483, beginning with “One
dold rainy . . .”
Figurative Language – Dialogue
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Dialogue is a conversation between two or more
characters in a story.
Quotation marks go around the words spoken by
the characters.
Dialogue helps to move the story forward.
Dialogue helps the reader understand more
about the characters and events.
Mr. Lindheimer says, “I could use more help
around this place.”
Review Pages 486-487
1. How does Solomon feel as he
travels across the ocean?
2. Why does he travel to America?
3. What job does he do upon his
arrival in America?
4. What event occurred during his first
job?
5. What is Solomon’s dream?
Review Pages 488-490
1. How does Mr. Hart help Solomon?
2. How does the setting change from
the original story? Why?
3. What did he do to improve Hart’s
Dry Goods?
4. What is the climax of this story?
Writing Assignment
Choose a famous immigrant
to the United States. use
reference sources to find out
about his or her life, and take
notes on the information you
find.
Summary
 Hear
a summary of this
week’s story.
 What
was it like to come to
America a 100 years ago?
Fun Stuff

What was it like to come to America a
hundred years ago?
Vocabulary Practice
Spelling Hangman
Ellis Island
American Immigration Home Page
History Happens
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Reading Test
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Say It!
bound
fortune
mission
peddling
purchased
quarters
trudged
More Words to Know
betrothed
calico
dowry
merchandise
wares
Vocabulary Support
Arabic Words and Names
Solomon Azar (a zar)
amm - a term of respect
quashaat (kwa shat) pack
baklawa (bak la wa) a sweet pastry
Habibati (ha be ba te) my dear
German Name, Phrase and Word
Mr. Lindheimer (lint hi mer)
Wer ist er? (ver ist er) Who is he?
und (unt) and
Content-Area Vocabulary
 immigrants
– people who enter a
foreign country to live
 ports of entry – cities or towns
where immigrants can enter a
country
 graph – a line or diagram showing
how one quantity compares to
others.
mission
a center or
headquarters for
religious or
social work

peddling
carrying
from place to
place to place to sell
fortune
money and
possessions amassed

quarters
a place to
live and stay

purchased

bought with
money
trudged
walked
with effort

bound
tied
together

calico
cloth with
printed patterns

merchandise
goods for
sale

betrothed
engaged to be
married

dowry
money or property
a woman brings to a
man when they
are married

wares

articles for sale
Maria rented new
quarters upon her
arrival in Austria.
Maria rented new
quarters upon her
arrival in Austria.
Kaye went to the
market to purchase
food for her dinner
date.
Kaye went to the
market to
purchase food
for her dinner
date.
Last Monday
morning she got
ready and trudged
into work.
Last Monday
morning she got
ready and trudged
into work.
In New York City,
many people make a
living by peddling
goods on the street.
In New York City,
many people make a
living by peddling
goods on the street.
Beth had
inherited a small
fortune from her
Uncle Larry.
Beth had
inherited a small
fortune from her
Uncle Larry.
They found the
flowers bound
together on the
table.
They found the
flowers bound
together on the
table.
We went to the
mission to get
food for the
immigrants.
We went to the
mission to get
food for the
immigrants.
Spelling Words
Words with kn, gn, wr, mb
wreath
lamb
climb
wren
limb
wrench
wreck
comb
thumb
wrist
Spelling Words
Words with kn, gn, wr, mb
writing
assign
knob
knit
sign
know
knot
design
kneel
unknown
Word Wall Words

Click to add your word wall words.
Let’s review our words.
Watch carefully because
they will flash on the screen
for just a moment. We will
clap as we spell the word.
wreath
lamb
comb
limb
thumb
wren
wrist
wreck
wrench
climb
writing
assign
design
sign
kneel
knob
knit
know
knot
unknown
GREAT
JOB!