Smidge

Smidge

Gentle Cindy:

dge/ge Book 20

© Melem Education, 2021, Sydney, Australia

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Smidge 267 Words

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dge ge 2

Vocabulary Glossary dodge: To avoid something with a quick movement grudge: To dislike someone or something for a long time. lace: A fine cloth made by weaving together bits of white cotton or silk. trudge: When we walk slowly and with heavy step. scale: To climb upwards. sedge: A tall, grass-like plant. smidge: A small amount of something is a smidge.

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Focus Words edge hedge ledge sedge wedge smidge

dodge lodge budge judge grudge trudge

Heart Words as is has this her for of the to do there where 4

Smidge has a home on a huge sedge plant. She makes a fine web like lace in the thick sedge.

Her web is in a cross shape, with white zig-zags on it. This is where she can rest and catch lunch.

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But Smidge spots Miss Pinge. Smidge must dodge Miss Pinge, as she has a grudge.

Miss Pinge thinks Smidge will use her fangs to bite, but Smidge just likes to chill and catch bugs for lunch.

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Miss Pinge wishes to trim the sedge.

She likes to cut the sedge into a long, thin edge.

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Smidge must shift. The sedge will not be a safe place for long, so she must budge to the next spot.

From her web, Smidge drops off to trudge to the next plant.

wishes = wish + es

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The huge hedge is quite close. In a rush, Smidge and lots of bugs dash across to the hedge.

Miss Pinge makes a ‘buzz’ as she hacks off the top of the sedge.

Smidge is quick, but she did not judge the space well. There is so much grass to cross to get to the hedge.

across = a + cross 11

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From the bottom of the hedge, Smidge must scale the plant and go up.

On a nice branch in a patch of shade, Smidge picks a ledge that she can sling a web to.

bottom = bot + tom

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Smidge can stitch the web then hitch it up on the hedge twigs. She can wedge the web in, safe and snug.

Smidge hangs off the edge of the hedge. She will miss her sedge home, but she hopes this hedge will be a fine place to lodge, too.

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Fun Facts The spider in this story is a St Andrews Cross spider. They make webs in an orb shape, with a white cross in the middle. The female can make a web up to one metre wide!

Spiders like Smidge are important, as they catch bugs to keep pest numbers down.

They can be one of the best forms of pest control.

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In this story, we also see a praying mantis. These insects are great hunters. They eat spiders and even each other! They are fun to find in the garden, as they often blend in so well with trees and shrubs.

Look at this image of a brown praying mantis.

Why do you think they call it a ‘praying’ mantis?

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