Introduce vocabulary: Blueberries for Sal (McCloskey, 1976)

From FreeReading

Activity Type: Introduce

Activity Form: Standard

Grade: K, 1

Group Size: Small Group, Whole Class

Length: 30 minutes

Materials: Blueberries for Sal, Robert McCloskey

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

Items: hustled, struggle, tremendous

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 Blueberries for Sal. 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.

hustled

• Hustled means to move fast. What's the word?
• She hustled through her chores so she could play outside. When you get in line quickly, it was because you hustled.
• I'm going to name some ways of moving. If you think the way of moving is fast, say hustled. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?
  • Crawl
  • Skip
  • Run
  • Skate
  • Walk

struggle

• Struggle means to do something that's very hard. What's the word?
• Trying to win a video game can be a real struggle. It's no fun to do work that makes you struggle.
• I'm going to name some activities. If the activity is hard to do, say struggle. Otherwise, keep quiet. Ready?
  • Swim a really long way.
  • Play hopscotch.
  • Listen to the radio.
  • Carry your bicycle home.
  • Dig deep holes to plant trees.

tremendous

• Tremendous means something is very big. What's the word?
• The explorers crossed a tremendous ocean in a little boat. If you do a big favor for someone, they might say you were a tremendous help.
• I'm going to name some things you could see outside. If the thing is very big, say tremendous. Otherwise, just sit quietly. Ready?
  • A Mountain
  • The moon
  • An ant
  • A whale
  • A squirrel