Introduce Vocabulary: I Love You the Purplest (Joosse)

From FreeReading

What to Do

Prepare

Select three Tier Two vocabulary words to teach your students. A list of suggested words appears below. Write the vocabulary words on the board or on chart paper.

Model/Instruct

1. Introduce the story.

Today we are going to read a story entitled I Love You the Purplest.

2. Introduce the three vocabulary words you have chosen.

Before we read the story, I want to introduce some new words that we will come across. Please repeat each word after I say it.

3. Read the story.

Let’s read the story. Make sure to listen for today’s vocabulary words and to think about how they are used in the story. If you hear a vocabulary word while I am reading, raise your hand.

4. Define key vocabulary words. See definitions below.

Let’s think about our vocabulary words. The word ______________ means ____________. Does anyone remember how this word was used in the text?

Call on students to answer the question. Then refer to the text to show how the word was used in context. Repeat this process for each vocabulary word.

Practice

Now let’s practice what we’ve learned.

bountiful

Bountiful means there's lots of something. What's the word?

In the springtime, flowers are bountiful. You might enjoy Thanksgiving because food is bountiful that day.

I'm going to name some things. If you want there to be lots of the thing, say bountiful. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?

• Wildlife
• Flowers
• Cookies
• Bee stings
• Dirty clothes

flung

Flung means to have thrown something without being careful. What's the word?

He flung the newspaper and it ended up in the water. If you didn't care where the ball landed, you could say you flung it.

I'm going to name some items. If you have ever thrown the item, say flung. Otherwise, just stay quiet. Ready?

• A frisbee
• A backpack
• A refrigerator
• A desk
• A rock

hoist

Hoist means to pick something up. What's the word?

The man had to hoist the heavy rocks using a machine. If you lift something and it takes a lot of effort, you hoist it.

I'm going to name some items. If the item would be hard to pick up, say hoist. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?

• A pebble
• Your dad
• A big bag of potatoes
• A pencil
• a big dog

prowl

Prowl means to quietly move around. What's the word?

A cat might prowl when looking for mice. If you were sneaking through the house at night, you'd be prowling.

I'm going to name some things that move. If you think the thing would move quietly, say prowl. Otherwise, just keep quiet. Ready?

• A band marching in a parade
• A child playing hide and seek
• A robber trying to steal something
• Someone trying to catch a fly
• A child learning to ride bike

shimmer

Shimmer means to shine. What's the word?

The gold shimmered in the sunlight. When you wear a sparkly outfit, you shimmer.

I'm going to name some items. If you think the item is shiny, say shimmer. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?

• Glitter
• Glass
• The lead in your pencil
• The floor
• A lake on a sunny day

sturdy

Sturdy means very strong. What's the word?

The man built the sturdy desk so it would not break. If you have strong legs, you are said to be sturdy.

I'm going to list some animals. If you think they have strong legs, say sturdy. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?

• A grasshopper
• A horse
• A puppy
• A bull
• A dinosaur

twirl

Twirl means to spin around in circles. What's the word?

The gymnast twirled as part of her routine. Sometimes if you twirl you become dizzy and fall over.

I'm going to name some rides at the fair. If the ride goes around in circles, say twirl. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?

• A slide
• A rollercoaster
• A merry go round
• A big swing
• A ferris wheel

Adjust

For Advanced Students:

If time permits, have students create more examples for the vocabulary words.

For Struggling Students:

If time permits, have students record the words on a Vocabulary Discovery Chart or in a Word Journal.

For ELL Students:

In order to help ELL students learn the words, it may be helpful to use realia and/or to teach cognates.

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