Introduce vocabulary: Happy Birthday, Moon (Asch, 2000)

From FreeReading

Activity Type: Introduce

Activity Form: Standard

Grade: K, 1

Group Size: Small Group, Whole Class

Length: 30 minutes

Materials: Happy Birthday, Moon, Frank Asch

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

Items: chat, echo, perfectly

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 Happy Birthday, Moon. 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.

chat

• Chat means to talk in a friendly, polite way. What's the word?
• I heard the friends chatting. When you first meet someone, you chat to get to know them.
• I'm going to name some places and times. If you think it's OK to talk in the place or time, say chat. Otherwise, just stay quiet. Ready?
  • In the library
  • When your teacher is reading to the class
  • At recess
  • On the telephone
  • To your mom in the car

echo

• Echo means a sound that repeats. What's the word?
• Sometimes an echo is fun to listen to. In a canyon, your voice will echo.
• I'm going to name some places. If you think talking in the place would make the sound of your voice repeat, say echo. Otherwise just stay quiet. Ready?
  • Under your bed
  • In a big empty gym
  • In a closet
  • A car
  • A microphone

perfectly

• Perfectly means with no problems, or just right. What's the word?
• She played the flute perfectly. When you try really hard, you can do something perfectly.
• I'm going to name some assignments your teacher might give. If you think you can do the assignment with no mistakes, say perfectly. Otherwise, just sit quietly. Ready?
  • Build a computer.
  • Write the alphabet.
  • Say your name.
  • Touch your toes.
  • Learn to drive.