Haste makes wasteWhat all fourth graders should know...
SAYINGS AND PHRASES*
Every culture in the world has phrases and proverbs that make absolutely no sense when used in another culture. For many of us, we have learned these sayings by hearing them in our homes. Here are a few of the most frequently used sayings and phrases that every fourth grader should be familiar with.
You'll want to check this page often as the "sayings and phrases will change.
Haste makes waste
This saying means that when you are in a hurry and rush at doing something you don't do as good a job as you do when you are careful and take your time.
It was Caitlin's night to clear the table and do the dishes. She quickly rinsed all of the dinner plates and silverware under the faucet.
"What's your hurry?" her father asked her.
"I told Dana I'd meet her at the theater at 6:45!"
"If you aren't more careful cleaning these dishes," her father said, picking up a fork with a piece of macaroni caught in the tine, "you'll have to do them over again. Then you'll really be late. Haste makes waste."
As the crow flies
If you were to drive from your house to school, you'd have to follow the roads that were were made. You couldn't drive through buildings or streams or peoples' backyards to get where you wanted to go. If you were a crow, however, you could fly above all the roads and other obstacles and follow a straight, direct, and much shorter route to your destination. When someone is trying to tell you how far away something is in a straight line, as opposed to following a system of roads, then they are describing a distance "as the crow flies.
"How far away is the Capitol?" Trever was tired of walking. He and his dad had walking through the streets of St. Paul for a long time. They could see the very top of the dome of the capitol building in the distance.
"Well," said Trever's dad "the way we're going, at least a mile. As the crow flies, though, I'd say it's only half a mile away."
Don't count your chickens before they hatch
Because not every egg in a nest hatches into a baby chicken, people use this saying to mean that you may be disappointed if you count on having something before it is really yours.
"I can't wait to read the new magazine I'm getting from my friend for my birthday," said Mary.
"Are you certain your friend is giving you a magazine?" Tim asked.
"Well, no," Mary replied.
"I hope you get one," Tim said. "But don't count your chickens before they hatch."
When it rains it pours
When people use this saying, they mean that something that starts out as a little bit of bad luck can turn into a real disaster.
Dan limped into the family room and plopped down onto the sofa.
"What happened, Dan?" his mother asked.
Dan groaned. "What a terrible day I've had. First, I forgot I was on patrol this morning so I got to school too late to be on my corner. I got in trouble for forgetting. Then, I messed up on my spelling test. I spilled my milk at lunch, I fell down and skinned my knee in gym, and now I have a headache. When it rains, it pours!"
*as identified by Hirsch, Jr., E.D., What Your 4th Grader Needs to Know, Fundamentals of a Good Fourth-Grade Education. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1992.