Introduce Vocabulary: The Paperboy (Pilkey)

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 The Paperboy.

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.

deliver

Deliver means to take something to somebody, usually as part of your job. What’s the word?

The high school student had a job delivering pizzas. Did you deliver the teacher’s note to your parents?

I’m going to name some items. If you think a person might take the item somewhere as part of his job, say deliver. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?

• Newspapers
• Mail
• A building
• A river
• Flowers

fade

Fade means for something to become lighter until it’s gone. What’s the word?

My headache will fade away if I lie down for a bit. Did you see the sunset fade away?

I’m going to name some words. If you think the word means to become lighter until it’s gone, say fade. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?

• Grow
• Lighten
• Go away
• Lessen
• Increase

newspaper

Newspaper is a paper that important news is written in that people read so they know what’s going on in the world. What’s the word?

Most big cities publish a newspaper. Did you bring something from the newspaper to read to the class?

I’m going to name some things. If you think the thing might be written in a paper for all the people in a city to read about, say newspaper. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?

• What you had for supper last night
• An update on road construction downtown
• Information about an accident
• Your height and weight
• Your dog’s name

paperboy

Paperboy means a boy whose job is to take the newspaper to people’s homes. What’s the word?

A girl can deliver newspapers, too; a paperboy doesn’t have to be a boy. It’s nice of you to give the paperboy a tip a couple of times each year.

I’m going to name some activities. If you think the boy or girl who takes newspapers to homes would do the activity as part of his or her job, say paperboy. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?

• Dance
• Fold the paper
• Get the paper there on time
• Wash dishes
• Keep the newspaper dry

route

Route means the path that someone follows when they are going somewhere. What’s the word?

Lewis and Clark tried to find a route to the Pacific Ocean. Which route do you take when you come to school?

I’m going to name some words. If you think the word means a path that someone follows, say route. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?

• Lost
• Wandering
• Direction
• Road
• Way

Adjust

For Advanced Students:

If time permits, have students create more examples of 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 to help students learn the words.

Related activities

• All Vocabulary Activities