Introduce vocabulary: Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner (Schwartz, 1991)

From FreeReading

Activity Type: Introduce

Activity Form: Standard

Grade: K, 1

Group Size: Small Group, Whole Class

Length: 30 minutes

Materials: Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner, Amy Schwartz

Goal: Given a word, the student can say its meaning

Items: coat, glare, infinity, practice, recognize, straighten

What to do

1. If more than three words are listed below, choose three. (It's tough for students to take in more than three new words in one go.) Write the three words on sentence strips (so they can easily be displayed after the lesson).
2. I'm going to read a new book to you today. It's called Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner. It uses some words you might not know, so I'm going to tell you the words now. Then, when I read the story, I want you to raise your hand when you hear the word. Okay?
3. Tell students the three words and their meanings. Have them repeat the words back to you.
4. Remember, when you hear any of our three words, raise your hand. Ready?
5. Read the story. Praise students who correctly identify the words as you read. Repeat each word's meaning as you encounter it.
6. When you finish reading, go through the three words giving the complete sequence below for each word. You can give the examples/non-examples either to the whole group or to individual students. Feel free to add your own examples and non-examples, particularly if students seem unclear.
7. Optionally, read the story again.
8. Students need to encounter a word multiple times before learning it. So:
   • Try to find opportunities to use the three words during other activities in the next 24 hours.
   • Ask students to use the word themselves and praise them strongly when they do.
   • Be particularly excited about usage in contexts different from that in the book you read, since students often have difficulty dissociating a word and the specific context in which they first came across it.

coat

• Coat means to cover something, like with paint. What's the word?
• After the woman baked a cake, she coated it with frosting. When you apply nail polish, you coat your fingernails.
• I'm going to name some liquids. If you think you might use these liquids to cover your artwork, say coat. Otherwise, don't say anything. Just sit quietly. Ready?
  • Glittery paint
  • A shiny varnish
  • Milk
  • Soap
  • Ketchup

glare

• Glare means to stare in an angry way. What's the word?
• She glared at the person who interrupted her. If someone is rude to you, you might glare at him.
• I'm going to name some people. If you think these people would stare angrily at each other, say glare. Otherwise, don't say anything. Just sit quietly. Ready?
  • Hockey players from opposite teams
  • Dance partners
  • People who have gotten into a traffic accident
  • A dog and a cat who don’t like each other
  • Little babies playing blocks together

infinity

• Infinity means never ending. What's the word?
• The stars go on for infinity. When you try to count until the end, you find out that numbers continue for infinity.
• I'm going to say some things. If you think these things go on forever, say infinity. Otherwise, don't say anything. Just sit quietly. Ready?
  • The number of jelly beans in a package
  • The number of stars in the sky
  • Miles in space
  • Children in your school
  • Crayons in a box

practice

• Practice means to do something over and over again to get very good at it.
• A person who wants to be a good piano player must practice a lot. If you are trying to make the soccer team, you should practice every day.
• I'm going to name some things we do. If you think we need to practice these things to get good at them, say "practice." Otherwise, don't say anything. Just sit quietly. Ready?
  • Sleeping
  • Spelling
  • Reading
  • Eating
  • Baseball

recognize

• Recognize means to remember that you’ve seen or heard something before. What's the word?
• You will recognize someone that you met yesterday. The child didn't recognize his grandma since he hadn't seen her in five years.
• I'm going to list some people. If you would remember these people, say recognize. Otherwise, don't say anything. Just sit quietly. Ready?
  • The doctor your mama used to see when she was a little girl
  • Your best friend's dad
  • The man who was your waiter once five years ago
  • Your teacher
  • Someone your dad knows but you’ve never met

straighten

• Straighten means to turn something so it’s no longer bent or messed up. What's the word?
• The man turned the steering wheel to straighten the tires. You wear braces to straighten your teeth.
• I'm going to name some items. If these are things that you might straighten, say straighten. Otherwise, don't say anything. Just sit quietly. Ready?
  • A picture on the wall
  • A ruler
  • Books on a coffee table
  • A tall building
  • Messy covers on your bed